Imperfect Love Story
by Posies
Summary: She was staring down a thick leather bound book in a confined corner of the library. He was staring down a bottle of fire whiskey in the common room. She was alone, with the silence and smell of old books and she liked it that way. He was surrounded by people congratulating him on winning the quidditch game and he loved it that way. He loved her. She hated him.
1. Prologue

She was staring down a thick leather bound book in a confined corner of the library.

He was staring down a bottle of fire whiskey in the common room.

She was alone, save for the silence and smell of old books and she liked it that way.

He was surrounded by people congratulating him on winning the quidditch game and he loved it that way.

She was studius.

He liked to party.

She thought the world was cruel.

He thought the world was beautiful.

She had been kissed 3 times in her life by the same boy- Albus, her best friend.

He had never kissed the same girl twice.

She was nice to everyone.

He was nice to everyone, except for most people.

He was certain he loved her.

She was certain he didn't.

She thought he only had a crush on her.

He knew it was something more.

He planned on marrying her.

She planned on traveling the world.

Everything was a joke to him, except for her.

Everything was serious to her, except for him.

His heart was hers, the same couldn't be said for his body.

Her heart was her own, as was her body.

She hated him.

He loved her.

They were too opposite to belong together.

She knew this

he denied it.

They were teenagers who thought they knew everything about the world, and each other, without really knowing anything.

They weren't perfect, and this is their imperfect love story

* * *

**Hi everyone! This is my first go at a fanfic, much more chapters to come. R&R please, flamers welcomed:)**

**Hope you enjoyed so far xx**

**-Posies**


	2. Troublesome Gambling

Violet stared down at her feet as arm brushed past Albus's for the third time. She looked up at Albus's face. He was staring ahead talking about how he thought he did on the end of the year exam. Albus was sweet, he was a wonderful friend. If he had to be a color he would be a nice safe blue. The shade that mothers would paint their baby's nursery because it was perfect for everyone. The shade that calms you down. Not to bright, not to dark, but the perfect shade of blue. He noticed her staring and smiled down at her. Blue, nice safe blue Albus.

"Yeah, I think I got that answer too!" Scor stated enthusiastically.

"Great that means I missed it," Al mumbled. He was probably right too. Scor wasn't the most clever of the three and if you got the same answer as him, more often than not he was wrong, and so were you. Scor just sent him a devilish smile and slapped al on the shoulder.

Scor wasn't anything like Albus. He was, if anything, red. Bright, wild red. The red you fall in love with and paint your bedroom on impulse. The red girls dye their hair when they feel like being different. He was the color of rebellion, of fun. Scorpius wasn't safe, he was wild . He was the one with the worst ideas. He was Scorpius, her other best friend.

And her, Well she was just Violet. Not the color Violet, though If she were to be a color, Violet supposed, it would be Violet. She would be quiet violet. The color that isn't as popular as say hot pink, or bright blue. It's pretty, but not as pretty as bright yellow. She was kind of purple girls pick when they grow up as their favorite color. Nothing extremely flashy, but a calm kind of beauty that you don't notice at first but once you do you can't look away. Which leads us to James Potter.

James Potter was the guy that everyone loves. He was the keeper on the quidditch team, and had yet to let his team loose a game. He was popular, good looking and well liked. He was the eldest son of Harry Potter. And of course every single thing he had accomplished throughout his years at Hogwarts went straight to his head. Which really didn't make him that great of a person, something Violet always made sure he knew when ever she saw him.

"Violet, what do you say?" Scor said.

"To what?" Violet looked up at Scor blinking away her weird thoughts.

"Violet pay attention! We're talking about important stuff here!"

Violet just smiled at him and looked out the window.

"Violet," Albus said to her calmly.

"Hmm?" Violet continued staring out the window, her innocent brown eyes admiring a certain blonde headed Weasley with his shirt off.

"Pay attention," Scor grabbed her chin and turned it to face him and Albus who had stopped in front of her.

"What?"

"We were saying how James had invited us to join him and the Rogues at a rendezvous tonight at midnight by the lake for a game of poker," Scor smiled deviously at Violet.

"Which I'm sure she doesn't want to go to Scorpius," Al said

"Albus is right per usual," Violet surmised.

"Why not? It'll be fun,"

"I find that hard to believe,"

"Come on," he began whining "Albus help me please,"

"Violet, just humor him for once," Albus tried.

"I'm sorry Scor, I don't want to hang out with Potter, or the bloody Rogues and anyways, I've never liked gambling,"

"What does gambling have to do with anything?"

"That's what poker is Scor, it's a gambling game. You bet money and usually loose it,"

"Not the version of poker we're playing," Scorpius quirked his eye brow and sent her the most devious smirk she had ever seen light his face.

A blush flamed Violets pale cheeks at the thought of what Scorpius was insinuating.

"Scorpius Draco Malfoy, if you are referring to strip poker, I will most definitely not be joining in on that!"

"Calm down Violet, it's not strip, it's magic poker," Albus made eye contact with Scorpius and they seemed to share some unknown ideas Violet was soon to find out.

"See Violet, magic poker isn't anything like muggle poker, we don't bet galleons, or clothes, we bet something much more interesting,"

"Which is what?" Violet gulped, knowing what she was about to hear wasn't something she would be excited about.

Scorpius smirked as he thought about it then opened his mouth and said "Magical Dares,"

"What?"

"Scorpius stop being weird, we bet magical dares Violet, there's 2 dares per each player on the team that you start out with that the players made up. The teams then trade dares, so they don't know what their dares are. It's sort of the opposite of muggle poker, where you're trying to get as much as you can. In magical poker you're betting away dares. Now if you bet say 2 dares, and you won the hand the dares are combined with all the dares other players bet and given to each player the worst getting the most and so forth. But if you lose, those 2 dares would go back to you with however many you also receive. The games ends when the majority of players on both teams decide to call it quits. When the games over you open your dares, and you have 3 hours to complete each one," Albus finished

"Why are they called magical dares?" Violet asked, intrigued much more than she should be.

"That's the interesting part, each of these dares is placed with a timer, where if the dares aren't completed in the three hours given and the timer goes off, the hex, or jinx placed on it becomes active,"

"So if I get a dare I don't complete in 3 hours, Im on the receiving end of the jinx, hex, or curse?"

"Not only you my sweet naive Violet, your whole team," Scorpius knew he had her now.

"Alright, I'm in, only on one condition though,"

"What's that?" Albus said

"Potter isn't allowed to speak to me about us going out, to ask me out, tell me he loves me, or anything of the sort. Get him to agree and I'll go with you guys," Violet said then pushed past them, "Now I need to talk to Professor Flitwick about choir next year," and with that Violet flounced off.

* * *

Rose was late. Not a couple minutes late that you apologize for and forget about, she was late. Very extremely late late late. This wasn't like Rose, she was always on time, it was one of the things she always made sure she did- arrive on time.

Rose had been asked by her crush, Marcus Tweedy, to meet in the astronomy tower at six. The hour during dinner, which led Rose to assume that he had been asking her on a romantic date to the romantic astronomy tower to watch the romantic sunset, and do romantic things of course. Which led to Rose Freaking out and throwing a general fit of excitement with her younger cousin Lily.

What confused Rose was how she managed to be half an hour late. She had been looking forward to it for the past four hours. She had started getting ready at half past four, leaving her plenty of time to do all her procedures that made her look pretty. But when she finished and looked down at the clock to see 6:25 it was safe to say Rose was freaking out.

Rose rushed up the stairs to the astronomy tower, her long orange hair pulled back in a loose fishtail. She had chosen a simple peach dress and white sandals which she was figuring out wasn't her best decision as she felt blisters form on the back of her heels.

Slap slap slap. Roses sandals hit the ground fast, mimicking her heart beat. She couldn't believe she had done this. She stopped before the door and took a moment before walking in. She smoothed the fly always down, took a steadying breath and walked up the stairs to where she would meet him.

To find no one. He was gone. Rose checked the room, and her first thought had been right, Marcus left. Rose slid down the wall and put her head in her hands. How had she let this happen, how how how? Marcus Tweedy had been Roses crush for the past month, and that was quite a while by Roses standards. Rose looked up and saw the sun slide down slowly behind the tall regal looking trees of the forbidden forest. Rose sighed dismally and stood up. There was no point in wallowing in the fact that she missed her date. For a girl as pretty as Rose there would surely be many more to come. Rose took out her braid and let her orange hair fall in soft waves to her mid back. Since she was up here she might as well watch the rest of the sunset, they were a thing of beauty, and beauty was something Rose knew how to appreciate. She had always admired beauty ever since she was a child. It was one of the things she and her mother bonded over, since Rose didn't share the same passions as her mother such as books and the like. They had always gone out on late june evenings just her and her mother, and waited for the fireflies to come out. Then they would quickly scoop them up into jars and Rose would stare at them for hours, memorized by the patterns they made as they flew around the jar. Maybe that was why Rose always put so much effort into looking pretty, because she wanted other people to admire her beauty the way she admired so many countless others.

Rose was odd by her family's standards, she was neither quidditch-obsessed, nor into academics. Which with her family it was either one or the other. The only thing Rose seemed to be interested in were boys and beauty. Rose was the romantic type were as everyone else in her family was either rowdy or philosophical. Rose couldn't really relate to anyone in her family. Victoire was into the same things, but she was vain, she didn't admire. Rose silently watched the last sliver of the sun fall behind the stoic trees until just the dim light of the lamps lit the room. Rose sighed and turned to leave, her previous anger at herself for being late forgotten. Right as she reached the stairs though, she saw a boy with messy blonde hair rush straight up the last stair and into her.

Scorpius saw Roses mouth open in surprise, but didn't see her soon enough to stop his momentum, so unfortunately he slammed straight into her.

"Shit Rose, I'm sorry," Scorpius picked Rose's tiny body off the ground as easily as one lifts up a tiny puppy.

"Maybe you should watch where you're bloody going you git, that hurt," Rose said feigning anger, well somewhat.

Scorpius laughed at Roses temper.

"Where are you going so fast any way?" Rose asked

"Lookin' for you Rosey-Posey, Albus, Violet and I are gonna go down to the lake at midnight to play poker with the Rogues. The problem is they out number us five to three, so I'm lookin for two more players to join us, you in?"

"Sure, I guess. Nothing better to do," Rose agreed with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Yes! Rosey-Posey I love you!" Scorpius picked Rose up and spun her around.

"Scor," laughing, "Scor put me down,"

"As you wish my flower," Scorpius set her down.

"How'd you know where I was anyway?"

"Oh I was wonderin around asking people if they'd seen you then I asked this bloke in a Ravenclaw tie, think his name is Mark Twiny, and he started sayin how you stood him up, left him standin up in the astronomy tower, looking like an idiot. He was proper mad Rose, you really ticked him off. Why'd you stand him up anyways?" Scor draped his arm around Rose's tiny shoulders and they started walking down the stairs.

"Oh I sorta lost track of time. I guess I kinda stood him up by default though,"

You could hear Scorpius's bark like laughter and a comment along the lines of "only you Rose" as they turned the corner and disappeared down the staircase.

* * *

Albus strolled calmly down the hallway towards the library, where he would find the player he was to recruit for his team. Scorpius had gone after Rose, leaving Albus to find the fifth and final member to their group. When Albus asked Scorpius who he wanted him to pick, the only advice Scorpius had given him was "not a loser". This, Of course, naturally led Albus to pick someone who Scorpius thought was a loser. Which was his older, and favorite, cousin Molly.

Molly had always been Albus's favorite cousin, even when he was a child. They would always take books and climb up into Albus's treehouse and read for hours on end. They wouldn't talk though, they would just read silently sitting back to back. It's one of Albus's fondest memories from when he was a child. Him and Molly moved from the treehouse to the library when they moved to Hogwarts, but now most of Molly's time is spent with either her ditsy bestfriend or her boyfriend. She outgrew their little reading escapades so now Albus barely hangs out with her. Which led him to picking her, other than to tick off Scorpius.

Albus walked down to the Medicinal Spells and Herbal Remedies section of the library. Molly spent most of her time in the library here. She wanted to be a healer so she read the books in this section as often as she could. Not in vain either, Molly was so talented at healing that Madam Pomfrey had officially asked her to be an apprentice under her for her last two years at hogwarts. Madame Pomfrey had the intention of Molly replacing her when she retired, something Molly had dreamed of since she was a child.

"Molly," Albus greeted as he slid into the seat across from Molly.

"Al! I haven't seen you in a while! How have you been?" Molly asked enthusiastically.

"Fine, actually I was wondering if you were busy around midnight?"

"Umm no, I actually tend to make my plans in normal hours, so I don't have any other conflicting obligations surprisingly,"

"Good, we're going down to the lake to play The Rogues at poker, midnight, and The Rogues has five members, as you know, James, Louis, Fred, Lorcan, and Lysander. Unfortunately our group only has three, myself, Scorpius, and Violet. Scorpius went to get Rose and he told me to get you, so do you want to come with us?"

"Scorpius asked you to get me? Me specifically?" Molly asked skeptically. Her and Scorpius had never gotten along, he was too lawless for her and he always seemed to get Albus in trouble. Scorpius on the other hand thought she was too uptight and needed to let loose for once in her life. Needless to say they avoided each other and when they were together, they seemed to either speak as curtly to each other as possible, or it ended with a very obnoxious argument. Molly always seemed to win the argument though, and make Scorpius squirm, something Albus rarely saw happen. This of course is why Albus invited Molly.

"Well no not really, but he didn't say I couldn't bring you,"

"Why the hell not, it's the end of the year, might as well have a little fun,"

* * *

"What do you mean I can't ask her out? That's the only bloody reason we invited them!" James was having somewhat of a fit. Louis had just told him the terms to get Violet to come, and James wasn't having it.

"James calm down, you told me to invite them and get them to bring Violet, they got Violet to come, but only if you don't bother her with the shit you usually do," Louis said

"Yeah James, it'll be easy, just don't ask her out or talk to her about how pretty she is or anything," Lysander suggested through a mouthful of butterscotch.

"No Lorcan, it won't bloody well be easy!" James stood up and started pacing about the room kicking dirty socks and underwear out of his way "If it was easy to not ask her, then, well I don't know, because it's not bloody easy!"

"James stop overreacting, you act like not asking her out is impossible,"

"It is Fred, it bloody is, she's just so pretty and nice, and I just don't get it. Why am I in love with the only girl in school who wants nothing to do with me" At this point James stopped pacing and sank down onto his bed "I can't not bother her with my feelings guys, everytime I see her I just loose she drives me insane, how am I supposed to not bother her? Everything I do bothers her, when I'm nice, when I'm funny, when I'm bold, everything fucking thing,"

"Well why don't you just ignore her?" Lorcan suggested.

"Have you missed a word I said you git?"

"No James, maybe Lorcan is onto something, you said everytime you talk to her you end up bothering her, so just don't talk to her," Louis said.

"How do you suppose I do that?" James turned to Louis.

"Just don't bloody speak to her, talk to one of us everytime you're going to say something to her. James this isn't that fucking hard to figure out. Just don't fucking talk to her," Fred said, losing his patience with his love-struck cousin.

"Fine, I won't speak to her, go ahead and tell them Louis," James rolled over onto his stomach and commenced pouting over the fact that he couldn't talk to Violet.

* * *

Louis walked down the empty hallway, filled with the final rays of the sun as it slid behind the horizon. He had gotten James to agree to the conditions, a miracle by Louis standards. James had been pursuing Violet for the past year, much to his friends annoyance. He had constantly involved the for of them in his brainless schemes to win Violets affection. Which only resulted in not only James, but also the other four in losing her favor for bothering her. Louis though, seemed to be the most liked by her, which he assumed still wasn't a lot. This led him to be them chosen correspondence between the two groups of friends. Sometimes Albus or Scorpius did it, but Albus didn't like to get involved usually, and Scorpius on the other hand was to forgetful to remember to tell them. Which is why Louis is usually the one to do it.

Louis didn't mind doing this, as long as it didn't interfere with his prior obligations (quickies in broom closets). The only thing that bothered Louis about doing it was the fact that James was a bloody moron. He goes around, constantly professing his so called "love" to Violet in obnoxious ways that he thought Violet would enjoy -which she most certainly didn't- then got all bummed out and sent Louis to apologize to her. It was just too tedious. James was clueless when it came to Violet, he had him baffled, he could charm the pants off of any girl, something he did quite often, but when it came to Violet, his charm just seemed to anger her. Louis had sat down and watched many failed attempts of James trying to get her to like him, each more ludicrous than the last. Louis had tried to help James as had Fred, Lorcan, and Lyscander. But James always said "Louis, your ideas are to low key" and went with the others because they were big "like his love for Violet". For a boy who claims to know everything about girls he really is clueless when it comes to Violet.

Louis rounded the corner and saw Violet leaving Professor Flitwicks room.

"Violet!" Violet turned and saw Louis and waited for him to catch up with her.

"Hullo Louis," Violet gave him a small smile.

"Hey, so James agreed to the terms, so are you guys still in?"

"Of course, wouldn't miss it for the world,"

"Great so we'll see you there, by the way are you going to bring another 2 players?"

"Yeah, Albie and Scor are getting them right now. I'm sure Scor will bring Rose. I don't know about Albie though, probably Hugo or Lily,"

"He lets you call him Albie?" Louis snorted at the nickname

"No, no he doesn't usually. He always gets mad at me when I do, so I have to do it behind his back, are you going back to the common room?"

"Yeah, gotta tell the rest of the rogues we're still on,"

"Cool you can walk me back then,"

"Sure just don't tell James,"

"Yeah right, like I would talk to Potter on my own free will. I've always wondered how you five got that name by the way,"

"What, the Rogues?"

"Yeah,"

"Oh, us five had just pranked the same group of Slytherins for the fifth time and we saw Mcgonagal coming on the map so we took off. Course Mcgonagal isn't dumb, we had been pranking the same group, the same spot, same time of day. So after we rounded the corner we slammed straight into Longbottom. McGonagal had told him to wait there for us and catch us. Next thing we know we're all sitting in her office with Longbottom staring down at us all disappointed. He wasn't really though, he was faking it for the old Headmaster, we could tell he thought it was funny. McGonagal starts lecturing us about how we're just like the Marauders, no regard for rules and blah blah blah then she says "You five can't just run around here like a gang of Rogues, tormenting the students" and when we got back into the dorm that night James put the name to a vote and we all decided to be the Rogues from then on," Louis finished the story and looked at Violet who glanced at him with a small smile.

"Interesting,"

"Yeah I suppose," Louis and Violet continued walking in silence until they were about halfway there

. "Hey Violet?"

"Hmm?"

"You know James really isn't as bad as you make him out to be," Louis looked down at Violet as he was talking and watched her expression. Violet just stayed quiet and stared ahead, thinking about how she would put her thoughts into words. Louis fell into a silence as they walked slowly towards the stairs.

"Louis, the thing about Potter is, he really is that bad. Not as a person- though he really isn't that great of a person either-"

"What do you mean he's not that great of a person?"

"I think you know what I mean, he hexes first years, bullies his cousins and breaks girls hearts like they mean nothing to him, which I'm sure they don't. Not only that but he's probably the most conceited person at this whole school, which is suprising with Jane Mclaggen going here. But what I meant by he really is that bad, is he's a terrible match for me, He doesn't listen to anything I say, he is completly the opposite of what I look for in a guy, and I'm sure he doesn't know the first thing about me," Violet finished.

"That's not true, he's been stalking you for the past year. He knows loads about you," Louis joked

Violet laughed at his joke, "He doesn't know the first thing about me, he doesn't know my favorite flower, my favorite color, my favorite animal, he probably doesn't even know my middle name. He doesn't love me like he thinks he does, he loves me for my looks," Violet finished her rant just as they reached the common room.

"Fizzing Wizzbees," Louis said to the Fat Lady, "listen Violet, the thing about James is he's never had a girl who didn't like him back, so you drive him crazy, he acts like a fool around you. He doesn't love you like he thinks he does but I'm sure he cares about you. Why else go through all the trouble this past year?" Louis tried to convince Violet, but to no avail, she had been told this lecture by Albus, Lily, Rose, Molly, even Scorpius had tried once. She listened patiently but didn't absorb anything. James was nothing but a nuisance to her and if she told him no enough and ignored him, he would get over his crush.

"Listen Louis, I don't like Potter, I don't care if his feelings for me are true. Everyone thinks I'm not with Potter because he's a prat. That is a part of it, but I don't like James. I don't want a relationship with him. I don't want anything romantically from him. Besides I like someone else" with that Violet turned and walked into the common room with Louis following her.

"Violet!" James stood up when he saw her walk in the common room.

Violet turned and saw Potter standing behind the sofa surrounded by his stupid Rogues minus Louis. Violet looked away and made for the girls dorm. Before she could get there though, James hopped over the couch and came to stand in front of her a smirk plastering his face.

"Yes Potter?" Violet said as calmly as she could.

"Since I'm not allowed to ask you out at the lake, I figured I'd get it off my chest now," James said

"The answer is and forever will be no Potter,"

"You haven't heard what I got to say yet, you see I figure your life is incredibly boring, what with all that reading and hanging around with my boring studious little brother, so why don't you let me take you out for a little moonlit stroll on the quidditch pitch. I'll even let you ride my broomstick a little later if you want," James was leaning precariously close to Violet by the end of his speech.

"Oh you're absolutely repulsive you know that Potter?"

"Repulsive? I'm the one who's at least had a girlfriend, when's the last time you were in a relationship?"

"Never, no thanks to you!"

"What's that supposed to mean Allender?"

"I think you bloody know what it means Potter. Every time a guy likes me you make sure to end that quickly! You bloody meddle in my life nonstop and you have the audacity to make fun of me for it?"

"Hey Allender did you ever think maybe they never liked you in the first place you're not as bloody perfect as you seem to think you are!"

"Oh yeah? Then why are you so bloody obsessed with me then Potter?"

"I'm trying to do you a favor, I mean for a little nobody to get a date with the James Potter is pretty great for you, why don't you get over yourself and bloody say yes,"

"Shove off Potter," Violet tried to side step him and head up the stairs but James began matching her movements, resulting in somewhat of a weird looking dance.

"Bloody Move!" Violet had lost her temper, something that rarely happened to her. She was usually a calm person who talked things out. She hadn't liked yelling ever since she was a child. James though, always seemed to bring out the worst in her.

Louis had walked over to his fellow rogues when he saw James hop up to go and bother Violet. He had seen countless shouting matches between the two in the past year. Sure the first couple were interesting, but once it got to about the sixth or seventh they just became annoying to him. Unfortunately the same couldn't be said for the rest of the Hogwarts population, they devoured them eagerly. Their fights jazzed up the typically average Hogwarts gossip. Made the people laugh at silly James and prude Violet who got offended at nearly everything that came out of James mouth. Something Violet was none to excited about.

She had spent her entire life being invisible, she was the student most teachers don't notice and the peer most of the other students don't remember. Once James set his sights on his little brothers best friend that all changed for her though, she went from being known as Albus's best friend, an identifier she didn't mind, to Violet:James Potters girl, much to James satisfaction and Violets displeasure. How she got identified as "his" -an infuriatingly mistaken saying- Violet doesn't know. She assumed James himself had started it.

Violet stopped trying to side step him, realizing this approach wouldn't work on a quidditch player that was incredibly quick on his feet. She stood there, her tiny hands clenched into fists at her side. Her eyes filled with anger at this stupid boy who refused to take no for an answer.

James stared down at Violet, completely amused at how easily he could set her off. His stance showed everything opposite of how he felt. His hands relaxed in his pockets; leaning calmly against the entry to the girls dorms with a triumphant smirk plastering his features. Calm on the outside, completely thrilled on the inside. James fights with Violet were always the most exciting part of his days. They yelled with such passion, James knew that Violet must feel something for him other than scorn. Maybe that was why he had stuck with her for so long: because of the highs he got during their fight. They weren't the typical highs he got, like after he smoked a joint with the other rogues, or the highs he got after he had sex with a girl, these were different highs. Those were relaxing highs they calmed him down, made him relax; want to sleep. These highs were so much more, they thrilled him, set him off, they made his heart beat like it was beating for the first time, left him wanting, no not wanting, needing more when their argument was over. The highs that Violet's and his arguments gave him were so much more than any joint or quickie in a broom closet could ever get him. Violet was his ultimate high. And him? Well he was her ultimate irritation.

"You know I'll move up and let you go on one condition,"

"No Potter, the answer is no!" Violet made to shove him but he dogged it causing her to stumble into him.

"God Allender, how many times do I need to tell you to get over yourself before you finally do?"

"You know what Potter! Id tell you to take your condition and shove it up your arse, but with your big head already up there I'm afraid there isn't any room,"

"Well since there isn't room with my big head up there, then I suppose you have to listen to me. The condition is that after the poker game, when we all have, or don't have our dares, if you have one, you'll forfeit it to me, and I'll give you a dare all on my own,"

"Why would I agree to that Potter, knowing you the dare you gave me would be go on a date with me, or snog me,"

"I couldn't make you go on a date with me, If I did I would have to go on the date with you within the three hours, and I don't feel like going on a date at two in the morning, even if it is with you. And trust me I've read the dares my mates are bringing to the table, you'd be much better off with the one I'm going to give you,"

"How do I know your dare wont be worse than your mates?"

"Come on Allender would I do that to you?"

"Uh yeah, you would Potter,"

"Fine I swear on my wand that I won't give you a dare that is worse than my mates dares,"

James stook out his hand for Violet to shake and Violet begrudgingly shook it. While James was shaking her hand he stupidly tried pulling her in for a kiss, which resulted in a slap to his face and a dent in his unreasonably inflated ego.

"Bloody idiot!" Violet shouted at him as she walked swiftly up the steps to her dorm.

"Damn girl! Bloody hurt that did!" James said as he slid down into his normal seat between Lorcan and Fred.

"You didn't really think that would work mate?" Lysander asked still a faint trace of laughter on his face from his mates failed attempt at a kiss.

"I don't know I saw something in her eyes and my gut told me go for it,"

"Yeah James it seems your gut has given you false information frequently when it comes to Violet," Louis said

"How many times has she slapped you over your gut telling you what you were about to do is a good idea?" Lorcan asked

"Obviously not enough for him to learn" Fred laughed at his friends expense.

"Yeah gotta be at least 8 to 10 times," Lysander added with a laugh.

"Whatever, whose turn is it?" James said sourly.

"Aw don't be such a Debbie downer James, she'll say yes eventually," Lorcan comforted.

Fred snorted "Yeah, right,"

"Shut up you git, it's your turn stop making us wait" James said.

Fred just laughed and move his piece across the board.

* * *

"You brought her? I said don't bring a loser Al! Don't!" Scorpius whispered to Albus as they walked a few steps behind their group. The dark night shying away from the licks of light from the torches that illuminated their path to the end of the hall.

"I don't think she's a loser," Albus said calmly his shoes emanating a dull thud with each step.

"Yeah, well you also think that readings fun, obviously your judgement is a little off. Next time I'll be picking the all players," Scorpius said angrily under his breath as they caught up with the other three members of their group of five.

"Is there anyone coming Al?" Rose asked ].

"Nope, the coast is clear. We just need to make it out the back entry in the left wing, and we're there. And by the looks of it we'll be fine, all the prefects are on separate floors, and Filch and are in his office," Albus slid the Treasured Marauder's map back into his pocket next to his wand. The map had previously been James, but since Albus thought the map would be more useful, and James knew he could accomplish much more elaborate pranks with the invisibility cloak they traded sometime in Albus's third year.

The five walked in silence except for the occasional cough or sneeze. Most of the coughs and sneezes were coming from Violet. It was allergy season after all, and she had terrible allergies, what with all the dust about the Hogwarts castle. That was one of the main reasons she was planning on stopping Herbology after her fifth year. She didn't need the owl for her job, and Violet decided, it was bloody awful.

The five turned the corner and saw the exit they had been headed towards. Its ominous archway foreboding that something was off on the Hogwarts ground. Violet pushed aside her worries and followed her friends as they walked down to the lake, where they were to meet the rogues.

The Rogues were surrounding the tree in a way that only the Rogues could do and still all look completely involve with what was at hand, and at the same time completely uninterested. Lysander was up in the tree hiding the top half of his body from view, leaving only the only view of him to be his long legs dangling loosely from the branch he was on. He was dropping leaves down on his twin brother leaving a small pile on Lorcan's chest, who was lying on the ground, hands behind his head and, by the looks of it, sleeping. James was sitting with his back to the approaching group, leaning back with his shoulders relaxed and letting out a bark like laugh joined with Lysander's at something Fred was telling them. Fred on the other hand was sitting facing the group, head reclined back slightly, laughing also at the joke he made. Louis was sitting a little off to the side staring at the lake, with his back turned slightly away from the group giving the other four a side view of him. From where Violet was standing she could see that he had a smile on his face from the joke Fred made. Fred looked behind James, a smile still on his face, and noticed the group approaching.

"Look who's finally arrived," Fred mocked, signaling their arrival to the others.

James turned around and focused his spectacle covered eyes on the approaching group, Violet specifically, whose own eyes were already trained on Louis "and only twenty minutes late."

"Shove off James like you've ever been on time a day in your life," Rose said to her older cousin.

"Ah Rose, ever the charmer," Lysander said hopping down gracefully from the tree and landing precariously close to Lorcan's head.

"Bloody hell Lysander watch where you're landing!" Lorcan said rousing from his nap just in time to see Lysander's feet come down inches from his face.

Louis moved and sat with the other four Rogues, signifying where their team would be sitting.

"The dares?" Lysander asked bringing out the ten dares he and his team had thought up.

"Right here," Rose said bringing them out of her skin tight white jeans. How she had managed to fit them in her pockets is anyone's guess. Rose danced up to Lysander in a way that was so typically Rose- flirty, yet sophisticated. Something neither Molly nor Violet would ever be able to accomplish with out looking like a complete fool. Rose pulled the dares out of Lysander's hand and placed her teams in place of them. Rose turned around and walked back to her team and handed out two dares to each of the players.

"Well let's get started shall we?" Molly said sitting down across from Lorcan who smirked at her. The other four followed, Scorpius across from Fred, Albus across from James, Rose across from Lysander, and Violet across from Louis. Violet was thrilled with this out come, though you couldn't tell by looking at her. She offered Louis a small turn of the lips (something that didn't go unnoticed by James) to which he responded with a polite nod and then began dealing the cards.

* * *

Molly had never had an affinity for lying, she had always been the child her aunts and uncles turned to when something bad had happened. They always knew she would tell the truth, since she felt so guilty about lying- much to James misfortune since he was the one who usually got ratted out. If you looked at the amount of dares Molly had bet away, gained back, then quickly bet away, it would seem that her lying abilities had greatly improved since she was a child.

In fact Molly's entire team seemed to be doing much better than the Rogues predicted they would. Albus had zero dares, and was out, Violet had only one, as did Molly, and Rose had three while Scorpius had only two. Their entire team had only seven dares altogether.

Leaving the Rogues with 13 dares altogether. Lorcan had the most with a total of seven, James had three, and Fred and Lysander had only one each. Louis had lost his last dare in the last game leaving him as the first one his team to be out. Louis watched the game, faintly amused at the way Lorcan was going about it. He could see his cards, which were not a great hand, yet he continued to play instead of folding. But as Louis could also see Molly's hand from where he was standing, he knew that she wouldn't fold with a hand like that, meaning Lorcan would most likely end up with her last dare.

"Royal flush boys read em' an weep" Molly threw down her cards with a flourish.

"Are you fucking kidding me? Louis you're dealing these cards in her favor!" Lorcan accused after receiving Molly's final dare, and one of James.

"No Lorcan, you're just shit at poker," Louis said as he dealt out the cards to the remaining seven players.

"Yeah mate, I'd stick with quidditch if I were you," James told him with a slap on the shoulder.

"Oh shut it you tosser,"

Violet was looking down at her cards- which weren't very great- when she saw something out of the peripheral of her vision. Her head shot up just in time to see whatever it was disappear behind the wall of trees. From what she could tell it looked like a person, though not exactly. It's back was a little to hunched over than it should be and it had something on its head that looked similar to horns.

"Did you see that?" Violet turned to albus visibly nervous while the others continued playing and laughing at Lorcan's misfortunes.

"See what Violet?" Albus asked her.

"That thing. It just entered the forbidden forest, right there," Violet pointed to the place where she last saw it.

"I didn't see anything, your eyes are probably just playing tricks on you Vi, its dark anyways, probably just Hagrid going to mess with the Hipogruffs," Albus comforted her

"No Al, that was definitely not Hagrid. Hagrid doesn't look like what I saw. That thing ba-"

"Hey Violet, Albus, secrets don't make friends," Fred mocked from across the circle.

"Yeah, what were you two crazy kids whispering about?" Lysander said.

"Please, do tell," Lorcan chimed in.

"Nothing you lot would care about," Albus answered.

"Really? Violet looked pretty enthralled in the conversation, seemed pretty interesting. Plus anything Violet is interested I'm sure James is," Fred nudged James who turned his attention from the discrepancy with Rose and Scorpius about whether a flush beat a straight to the conversation he had been mentioned in.

"What about me?" James said eyes on Violet even though he was talking to Fred.

"I was just saying-"

"It's none of Potters buisness about what I do and don't talk about,"

"Why are you being rude to me? I was sorting out these idiots," James said pointing a thumb towards Scorpius and Rose.

"Hey, I'm not the idiot she is! She thinks a flush beats a straight,"

"It does you idiot," Molly said to him.

"Then who should I be rude to Potter? It always seems to be my name linked with yours because you won't take no for an answer,"

"See? Told you so," Rose said smugly

"Oh don't act like you don't enjoy the popularity I've given you," James answered

"Oh both of you can take your straight and shove it up your-" Scorpius began.

"Hey whoa whoa let's watch the language Scorpius," Louis cautioned.

"What are you Louis? Professor McGonogall?"

"Awh little baby Scorpius is just mad because he's getting ganged up on,"

"For your information Potter," Violet spat his name " I don't enjoy the popularity. I'm not shallow like you! Maybe if you would listen-"

"Why don't you go snog your bloody boyfriend Molly,"

"He can't listen to you! The only thing you do is shout no at him!" Fred said to Violet.

"Yeah well if he didn't listen to your stupid schemes to get my attention then maybe I wouldn't hate him so much," Violet said to Fred turning her attention away from James.

"At least I can get a relationship Scorpius, all you do is pretend like every girl here grosses you out, when we all know no one wants to bloody date you!"

"Hey guys, let's stop arguing," Louis tried to calm them to no avail "Albus a little help?"

"My schemes are fucking brilliant. Maybe if you weren't so bloody frigid and knew how to take a joke!"

"Sorry Louis, you're on your own with this one," Albus was having way to much fun watching the scene unfold to stop them.

"Don't talk to her like that!" Rose shouted at Fred.

"Oh really? Congratulations, you got Johnathan Greets, the catch of the school Molly! You really know how to get them! And actually I think your best friend would beg to differ with that statement!"

"Why don't you go find someone to snog rose!" Lorcan said to Rose

"My bestfriends standards aren't exactly high Scorpius I'm not surprised she made out with you, you fit in well with all the other losers she's made out with,"

"What the bloody hell does that mean?" Rose turned on Lorcan.

"You know what Fred? You are a fucking arse.!" Violet said.

"You don't talk to him like that Allender," James said to her.

"You know Molly I seem to remember her making out with your boyfriend sometime in her fourth year actually," Scorpius said.

"It means that you're a slag!" Lorcan shouted back.

"I'll talk to him however I fucking want to Potter, you aren't my father!" Violet said

"You'll watch your fucking mouth when you talk to her Scamander!" Scorpius said leaving his argument with Molly to come to Roses defense.

"Why it's true! Everybody knows it!" Lorcan said hotly

"Yeah thank fucking god for that Allender! How he manages to stand you I'll never know!"

Smack. The sound of Violets hand making contact with James cheek resonated perfectly with the sound of Scorpius tackling Lorcan to the ground as Molly yanked Rose out of the line of fire.

Now Lysander wasn't the type to sit quietly while his younger brother, though only by five minutes, got in a fight. He had always joined in Lorcan when he was fighting, whether it be verbally with his parents or violently as they rolled around on the ground. So predictably, Lysander launched himself into the fight, as he should as Lorcan's older brother.

Albus didn't believe in fighting, but when he saw that it was two on one in the fight, and the odds definitely weren't in Scorpius's favor, he too joined in backing up his friend.

Saying that this all happened in one instant, would not be an exaggeration by Violets standards. She had barely enough time to feel the pain of the slap as it licked through her palm when she heard the crack of Lysander's fist connecting with Scorpius's jaw. Her eyes widened as she saw Scorpius head fling back and blood on Lysander's hand. Scorpius hit the ground with a harsh thud his eyes showing the pain his mouth wouldnt allow to let out. Scorpius made to get up but before he had the chance to jump to his feet Lysander was on top of him and had his hand brought preparing to slam once again into Scorpius's already bruised jaw. Before his fist was able to connect though, Albus swiftly ducked Lorcan's fist that was quickly bearing down on him and slammed Lyscander off of Scorpius, and rolled with him onto the grass. Violet started towards the fight, not thinking about the fact that she wouldn't be able to stop it, or that she would get hurt, only knowing that if she didn't do something, Albus and Scorpius were going to get hurt. The two were talented fighters, but Lorcan and Lysander were a year older and held at least four inches and twenty pounds over Scorpius and Albus. She had just made it by James when he yanked her back.

"Ow! Potter what are you doing! They're getting hurt!" Violets frantic eyes searched James' eyes for some sign that he would break up the fight. He just gave her minute nod signifying her not to get involved. She began thrashing against his grip when she realized that he had no intent of ending the fight.

Louis, having regained his thoughts from the initial shock of the break out of the fight after hearing Violet's yelp jumped into the fray with the intent of breaking it up. Before he was able to make it though, Fred intercepted him and threw him back. Louis looked up confusion plastering his face.

"What the bloody hell are you doing?" Louis said as he stood, brushing off the dirt from his pants.

"It's not your fight to break up. If you jump in they'll think you are joining on Lorcan's and Lysander's side. Let it be Louis, let them fight it out," Fred said calmly to his friend.

Rose's piercing scream of terror rang through all of their ears. Temporary halting the fight Scorpius's fist froze where it was hearing her scream and he turned to look at the red head. She was staring at the forest eyes wide filled with terror. She had started backing up and grabbed Molly pulling her along with her. Scorpius turned to the forest and saw what Rose was terrified of. It wasn't human, it had black holes where it's eyes should have been that pierced your soul and enveloped you in their darkness like a thick smothering blanket. It would have stood at about seven feet had its back not been so severely hunched. Its back was arched like a hook, it's spine sticking up from its paper thin skin stretched across its back. It's skin was a sickly orange color, with blotches where it was so thin, you could see its white blood running through the veins. It stood on two thin legs and stared at them it's triangular face cocked slightly to the side, sizing them up.

Violet had stopped thrashing when she saw the monster, "Thats it," she let out a shudder.

"What? What are you talking about?" James who had shoved Violet behind him turned his head slightly to see her terrified expression on her face.

The monster rolled back on its two feet puts it head to the sky and let out a scream. The scream wasn't loud, but at the same time it was shattering, it was filled with the screams of other peoples terror and despair. Yet it was at the same time so singular it rang out as the most lonely thing they had ever heard. It turned back to them and stared at them before turning and taking off at a sprint towards them.

James had a hold of Violets hand and was yanking her along with him as they made towards the castle along with everyone else. Rose and Molly had the lead by about ten feet, with Lorcan and Scorpius bringing up the rear. Violet could feel its pitfall eye sockets on the back of her as she ran, she felt as though the hand was reaching towards her it's long spindly fingers trying to get a hold of her throat. Violet spurred on faster as a new wave of terror over came her. They slammed over the entry way, the moonlight sliding off them to be replaced by the orange torch light. They didn't stop running they all continued along in a dead sprint until they reached the corridor along the second floor and James having taken the lead rushed behind a tapestry and disappeared behind it. The others quickly followed suit, only coming to a rest when the door was secured shut behind them, and they were half way up the spiraling staircase.

"Let go Potter," Violet yanked her hand out of his, apparently him helping her didn't warm her up any to him.

They all collapsed down on the stairs silent, save for their pants, attempting to suck in as much oxygen as they could.

"What the fuck was that?" Fred said through his pants.

"I don't know," Lorcan answered at the same time Lyscander said monster.

"Is it out there?" Rose asked her eyes still wide from the shock of the experience, and heart pounding fast from the adrenaline.

"I'm not checking," Said Scorpius.

"It just took off, why?" Albus mused to himself.

"To eat us!" Lorcan exclaimed.

"I don't know Lorcan, it didn't look like it had any teeth from what I could see," Louis said perplexed

"Did you see how thin that thing was? It was starving by the looks of it, I reckon it was going to eat us," Molly said.

"What was it though? An inferius?" Lysander said wiping the blood off of his lip.

"No, my dad used to tell us stories about Inferi to make us behave, and I've read about them in the library, they don't look like that, and I know they can't run that fast," Albus said, shooting down Lysander's suggestion.

"But what was it?" Rose said.

"We have to tell the headmaster," Violet told them.

"Violet if we tell the headmaster, then they'll know we were out after curfew," Lysander said

"Besides the headmaster isn't a big fan of us five anyway. Never liked us from when he first started in our third year, if he were to find out we were out after curfew, I don't think he'll take to punishing us lightly," Louis supported.

"So we just let that thing run wild and don't tell anyone because you five are afraid of detention?" Rose said incredulously.

"No we just can't tell him," Lorcan said

"We'll tell Neville, he's the head of house for us, and he likes us," James decided for the group. He stood up and started walking to the top of the steps.

"Where the bloody hell are you going James?" Albus asked his older brother.

"To bed I'm tired," James said.

"Don't you think we should tell someone?" Rose said to him.

"Tell who? It's two in the morning everyone's asleep, even the prefects aren't patrolling anymore there's nothing we can do right now, we'll wait until morning, and then we can just say we were out on the grounds and not get in trouble for being out past curfew," James as he turned the corner and disappeared up the secret passage way which led to the seventh floor.

"Why the hell is he so ruddy calm? We just got chased by some creature that may or may not have wanted to eat us and he's tired and wants to go to bed?" Scorpius said to the remaining Rogues.

"I don't know come on guys we should get to bed too," Louis said sending a worried glance toward his friends retreating figure. Something was wrong with James, he shouldn't be so calm or quiet. Fred caught Louis's eye, sharing the same thought in that knowing glance they shared. Violet stared at them as they left biting her lip nervously and tapping her foot a bit to loudly.

Albus watched silently as the Rogues went to catch up with James. He turned to the remaining four on the staircase. Molly was staring expectantly at him, as if he would have a reasonable explanation for this mess, which he most certainly didn't. Rose was sitting on the steps winding and unwinding her hands nervously as she talked to Scorpius, who had one of his hands wound in his hair will the other was swelling from the fight, in low a voice. Violet was just sitting staring at the wall quietly distress clear on her face. Albus sighed as he moved past the four.

"He's right, let's go to bed we'll figure this out in the morning, and anyways Scorpius and I need to clean up from the fight anyway," Albus said.

"But what if it's still out there Al?" Violet looked up at him. She looked so fragile, her normally wide eyes were even bigger, wide with fear. She had been chewing her lip so hard it had started to swell, and her delicate hands were scrunched into balls around her clothing. She was still terrified from the experience, as was Albus he was just better at hiding, as a boy should be when his girl best friend was terrified. If he began freaking out, then the responsibility of being the calm, reasonable one would fall to Scorpius, a job Scorpius had never handled well.

"It'll be fine, come on Vi," Albus grabbed her hand and pulled her up "stop biting your lip so hard, it's swelling."

Violet just nodded and squeezed his hand hard as they rounded the corner. Rose, Molly and Scorpius got up and followed suit. Rose was still just as scared as Violet if not more, but she didn't show it as obviously as Violet-hiding her emotions had always been a talent of Rose's- that didn't stop her from holding onto Scorpius's hand for dear life though.

They all walked silently to the dorms, huddled closely together, with their wands out for light. The pit pats of their feet the only thing filling the empty silence save for Violets sneezes and coughs. Violet squeezed tight on Albus's bruised hand, pressing harshly on the swelled up purple skin, when she heard loud droning meow.

"Violet ow," Albus yanked his hand out of hers.

"Im sorry," Violet said turning away from where she heard the cat meow from. She intertwined her hand together and stared at Albus sheepishly.

"Just be careful, I did hit Lorcan's big head with this hand it's bound to cause bruising," Albus joked lightly and pulled her hand back into his. Violet just smiled at him and rubbed her thumb over his hand nervously.

* * *

"James, wait up wouldya!" Lysander shouted at James who was walking briskly ahead of him.

James slowed his pace waiting for his four friends.

"What's up with you mate?" Fred asked

"What do you mean, I'm fine,"

"Then why'd you leave all calm, I mean you're usually not the calm one in those situations," Lysander said.

"I told you guys I'm tired, and there's no point in worrying about it, what will we do? Spend house going back an forth talking about how a monster was chasing us?"

"You sure you're fine mate?" Louis asked

"Yes I'm sure, Agrippa's sake, I'm just tired," James assured his friends.

Fred knew James was lying, he didn't know why though. But when someone's lying saying how fine they were when they really aren't, Fred just pretended to believe them. Fred never really was one for feelings, ever since he was a child. The only thing Fred had cried over was from laughing to hard. James used to be the same too, then Violet came along and screwed him all up from Fred's point of view. Now James is moody all the time, angry because Violet hates him, annoyed because Violet said no, guilty because he fucked some bird, worried because he thinks Violet will find out. He's never just James anymore, every bloody emotion he feels it has something to do with Violet. Fred didn't even understand what the big deal was, sure Violet was pretty, but there were definitely much prettier girls at Hogwarts, hell James slept with a prettier girl last week. She was kind-hearted but it was never towards James, so that doesn't count as a plus. She never laughed ( of course she did laugh that's just ridiculous for someone to never laugh) and her face was always shoved in a book, by her choice. Why someone would willingly decide to read a book is completely beyond Fred. Fred just didn't bloody get it, why would James pick her? Why does he want her? She doesn't even glance his way unless she's forced too, and even then they're always glares. She's nothing special, just some stupid fourth year, who treats his best friend like shit, yet his best friend seems to relish in it. As you can tell Fred isn't a fan of Violet.

"James I got a question for you," Fred said to his friend as they lagged behind the other three.

"Yeah mate," James had his hands in his pocket and was walking as if he got chased by monsters every night.

"What makes Violet so special, why her?" Fred looked to his friend confusion painting his dark skinned face.

James just smirked and slapped his friend on the shoulder,"Because Mate, she's Violet, I'm James and someday we'll be together, pursue what you love,as my Mum always says."

* * *

They all rushed into the safe haven that is their common room. Grateful of its familiar scent and welcoming cushioned seats. Rose let go of Scorpius's hand and walked up the dorm stairs with Molly leaving just Albus, Scorpius and Violet standing in the dimly lit common room. Violet let go of Albus's hand and looked silently at Albus and Scorpius, her previous terror washed away by the welcoming glow of the bright fire.

"You both are a mess," Violet told them, sounding reminiscent of Albus's mum.

Scorpius snorted, "Well we couldn't all be blessed with your looks my queen," Scorpius bowed deeply mocking Violet.

"Yeah we did just get in a fight after all Vi,"

"I know, but you should have at least asked Molly to heal you before she left,"

"Like I'd ask for a favor from that bloody girl!"

"Like she would be willing to do you a favor mate," Albus slapped Scorpius on the shoulder producing a wince from the latter.

"Scor, you shouldn't have hit him you know. What he said to Rose was out of line, but you should learn to talk things out. This is the sixth fight you've been in this year, and Al well I'm glad you were there to back Scorpius up, but you should have separated it,"

"Talk things out? Vi when has a boy ever bothered to talk things out? Plus fighting is quicker, and a lot less awkward. And Violet, I only got caught for two of those six fights, so the rest don't really count,"

"I second that,"

"I know, it's just I don't know I just don't like seeing you guys fighting,"

"Oh we just got a couple bruises we'll be better in a couple of days Vi," Scorpius slung his long arm over her and squeezed her tiny shoulders.

Violet sighed and leaned into Scorpius, "I just think you guys should be a little more rational,"

"We'll try, but in the mean time,you should go to bed, you're about fall asleep standing,"

"I s'pose so. Night," Violet kissed them both on the cheek lightly and walked towards her dorm. Leaving behind her vanilla scent mingled with sweat and grass. She rounded the corner and went up her stairs.

"Odd girl," Scorpius mused.

"Very peculiar," Albus agreed.

Violets head popped back around corner, "Guys, what'll we do about the dares? Don't we have to complete them?"

"Don't worry Vi, we never officially ended the game, so we'll be fine, go to bed now,"

"Right night Al, Scor," and with that she went back up the stairs.

"Definitely weird," Scorpius said

"A right oddball," Albus verified.

* * *

Hey everyone! Sorry it's so long, it just kept dragging on in my head, I'll try to update sooner since it's summer and I truly have no other obligations. Read and review, tell me what you didn't like so I can work on it and tell me what you did like so I can keep it up! Hope you enjoyed

-Posies


	3. The Journey Back

Approximately 8:15 in the morning

"Violet, have you seen my earrings?" Roses panicked voice said as she ripped open the curtains to Violet's bed.

"Rose!" Violet said in protest as she squeezed her eyes shut trying to block the sunlight out.

"Violet! This is important, wake up!" Rose started shaking Violet, who shoved at her hands and rolled over.

"Violet," Rose ripped off Violet's covers and flipped her over, "Get up."

Violet sighed, sat up and tried to rub the grogginess out of her eyes.

"Good, now that you're up, have you seen my earrings?"

"Which ones?" Violet stood up and stretched, her shirt lifting slightly showing the pale skin of her stomach.

"The ones Grant gave to me on Valentines Day, you know they were dangle earrings and had little hearts on the end that were outlined in rubies and a bunch of diamonds in the center?"

"They're in the back of the bottom drawer of your night stand remember? With all the other presents your exes have given you that you don't like anymore. Why do you want it anyway?"

Rose quickly rushed over and grabbed the earrings shouting an "ah-ha!" when she found them, "Because _Violet_, I saw Grant flirting with that slag Calli, and if she some how manages to get him, I might as well die. So if he sees me wearing his earrings, he'll think I still like him, give up on Calli and chase after me." Rose said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Right," Violet agreed quietly, she looked around and noticed all of Rose's belongings still scattered messily around her area"Why haven't you packed yet we leave at 11,"

"Oh, I got a couple house elves to agree to pack for me this morning," Rose said as she took out her current earrings and replaced them with the gaudy ones Grant gave her.

"That's not right Rose, you know your mother wouldn't want you to do that,"

"Yeah Violet, my mother doesn't want me doing anything except studying and helping her with all her charities. Plus she'd be ok with it, I payed them. I'm gonna go down to breakfast, I need to fuel up for winning back Grant, bye"

"Rose wait!"

"Yes?" Rose popped her head back in.

"What...what about what happened last night, why are you being so calm?"

"Oh I talked to James this morning he said the Rogues have it covered, so there's no need to worry really,"

"Oh, are you sure, I mean what if they mess up?" Violet asked uncertainty.

"Mess up what silly? Don't worry,they'll take care of it," Rose patted Violets arm , kissed her on the cheek and walked back out the door.

Violet sighed and walked over to her bed and flopped down. She glanced up at the clock, 8:15. Rose had waken her up at eight fifteen when they only went to bed four hours ago. How Rose managed to have so much energy when she'd had less sleep than Violet, who couldnt even be bothered to open her eyes, was anyone's guess. Violet pulled her plush covers back over her and snuggled back into a ball. Violet was teetering just on the edge of sleep when the Allys walked in, and effectively ended any hopes Violet had of going back to sleep.

I'm sure you're wondering who these three are, I suppose if you wanted to compare them to anyone, they're similar to the group of bad guys you see in the movies. You have the leader which is Sally, the dumb one which is Calli, and the muscle which is Halli. The only difference between movie group and the Hogwart's group is that the "muscle" of the group doesn't actually have any muscle; she's probably one of the weakest girls at Hogwarts. So why, you ask, is she considered the muscle? Because my dear reader, she holds something far more powerful than the ability to lift a fifty pound weight, she holds influence. She's the only daughter of the Minister of Magic, Gregory Enwright. The sweet, beloved, innocent, daughter of the brave, powerful Minister of Magic. So with her influence as the daughter, she's much more valuable to Sally than muscle would be. Of course Halli is crippingly shy, so she really doesn't exercise her influence, much to Sally's chagrin.

This brings us to Sally, she's the typical leader of a popular clique, big blue eyes, tan skin, curly blonde hair to her midback, legs for days, a body to kill and a smile to make boys weak at their knees, (and make babies cry in Rose's opinion) you could say she hit the gene-pool jack pot. She was just as ruthless as she was beautiful though, leading to Violet often wondering why she hadn't gone to Slytherin with a personality like that. She didn't care for Violet, and especially not Rose. Rose was just as beautiful as Sally, but she held a different beauty, an inviting beauty where as Sally's was more icy. Naturally they hated each other from the beginning. Violet on the other hand was viewed as more of a nuisance, it wasn't until James, Sally's long time crush, began fancying Violet did she really start to not like Violet. Sally usually ignored the two, but lately she had gone out of her way to embarrass them. It didn't really work on Rose-to confident to be bothered by Sally's feeble attempts at embarrassment. It usually had an affect on Violet though, since she was shy and definitely not as self-assured as Rose, making her the usual target of the taunts.

Halli as I said before is the "muscle" and the third in charge. Her friendship with the other two seems to be more towards she has no one else, instead of her genuinely liking them. She's pretty shy, and bloody awful at making new friends, which is why she has stuck with the two for the last four years. She's the most meager looking of the three also. Of course she's pretty, but nothing amazing like Calli or Sally. She's just the average pretty, nothing to gawk at. She's got red hair though. Bright, bright red hair, it was real pretty, and these clear blue eyes. These eyes were so blue they even rivaled Albus's in beauty. Speaking of Albus Potter he was also the boy she had been crushing on since first year when they were paired together in potions for a week. She didn't really bother Violet or Rose, or anyone else really. That's really all there was to Halli.

The final person to complete the trio would be Calli. Calli is easily the dumbest girl you will ever meet in your entire life. The only reason she manages to pass is because Sally makes her younger brother write Calli's essays and she's always paired with someone brilliant. Calli is, of course, beautiful with brown hair in a fierce crop framing her face perfectly, full lips, and a dancers body-she had been dancing since she was little. She followed Sally mindlessly, and to her, whatever Sally said was the law. This didn't end well for Violet either, because instead of having just Sally bothering her she also had Calli.

"Oh girls look who it is," Calli said mainly to Sally, nodding towards Violet.

Violet groaned inwardly knowing she wouldn't be going back to sleep any time soon.

"oh look the everyday sleeping beauty," Sally said sarcastically.

"Hullo Sally," Violet said dryly as she sat up.

"Wow you look terrible Violet," Calli said

"So nothing new then right?" Sally chirped. Calli laughed at Sally's jibe at Violet and Halli just made a small smile and headed towards the bathroom.

Violet swore silently, since Halli was in the bathroom, she had no where to escape to. Unless she planned on going down to breakfast looking the way she did.

"Violet, you and Rose came in very late last night. If it had been just Rose I would have assumed she was out snogging some loser, but since you were with her, and you can't even get a date, I'm stumped as to where you were,"

"Yeah, so where were you?" Calli added.

"I was out," Violet answered.

"Well obviously," Sally said rudely " I was asking where,"

"Gosh you're dumb," Calli said. That was rich coming from someone who asked Violet how to spell definitely last week.

"If you must know, I was out at the lake with Al and Scor," Violet left off the fact that she was with the rogues, she didn't want to stir up any more trouble.

"Oh Violet broke the rules? Some one call Rita, alert the press," Sally taunted as she packed the last of her clothes.

Violet scratched her arm nervously. She never liked to be alone with Sally, she tried to avoid conflict as much as she could, it made her anxious. Which led to her never standing up to Sally, which led to her constantly being picked on, which led to her feeling anxious, which led to her scratching her arm, which led to an ugly red blotch on her arm.

"Yes alert them," Violet joked awkwardly. She would rather be laughed with than at. (In this case though she would be laughing with people at herself, kind of a contradiction) "it wasn't as bad as I always made it out to be, it was kind of fun,"

"Sounds riveting Violet," Sally said sarcastically.

"Yeah," Violet said lamely. _It was actually.__  
_

"Halli we're leaving," Sally commanded

"Ok," Halli walked out of the bathroom a couple of seconds later and joined Sally and Calli.

"Well bye loser," Sally said and walked down the stairs, the other two following her as servents follow their queen.

"Bye," Violet said rudely, making a face once they had left, "Stupid Sally, with her stupid face, and her stupid body, and her stupid friends and her stupid...Merlin she's so stupid! And dumb Calli, at least I know how to spell!" Violet kept mumbling to herself in this manner while she had got herself ready and made sure all her belongings were packed. She stopped once she left the room and headed down to breakfast, didn't want people to think she was a nutter. Violet looked around the common room for Al or Scor. They were gone though, so either they were still sleeping, or they had gone to breakfast. Violet was about to turn and head up the boys dormitory when her stomach growled something fierce.

_Oh well I'll run into them_ she thought.

Violet stepped out of the portrait whole and began making her way to the Great Hall at a leisurely pace. Today was her last day here for two months. Merlin she loved it here, it was so happy and nice. (Except for the run ins with Sally).Everything was just so romantic. When she was here it was like she was in another era; the times when knights were about, rescuing princess's from dragons, and all chivalrous. When love actually meant something. Not in the twenty first century when the motto for almost every bloke was "hit it and quit it". She sighed and ran her hands along the cool bricks. Everything was just so welcoming, it was like the castle itself was hugging you, the air patting your head and caressing your cheek like a mother does. Hogwarts was a safe haven to her.

The library, with it's thousands of shelves of books begging to be read. Where she would take refuge deep in the recesses, through the winding book cases, so far in even Potter never bothered to search that far. The warm torch light, illuminating the pages sending off Violet's favorite sent. It was where she went whenever Potter made her particularly mad, when Sally's rude comments got to much, when Rose was complaining about all her annoying boy problems, when she just got tired of Scorpius's antics, when she just wanted to be alone. In her secret place in the library, reading a book, she wasn't Violet anymore, she was the girl battling dark wizards to rescue her family. She didn't have her problems in her secret place, she had someone else's, and to Violet that was the greatest escape anyone could every have.

Or the kitchen, where she would go with Scorpius when Albus was being moody and told them to bugger off. Where she would shove all of the delicious food in her mouth like her life depended on it. And Scorpius would sit there and tell her weird jokes that he made up and thought were brilliant. She would laugh, not because they were funny, but because he was Scor and she laughed at all the things he said, because he was just that guy. Just little bits of time where it was just her and Scor and they would laugh and laugh because he liked to make people laugh, and she liked to laugh. He was Scorpius and she was Violet and that was just how their friendship was: light and easy.

Out by the lake studying with Albus while Scorpius was on a date with some girl or bothering Rose. Where they would sit in perfect silence, reading their books until one got bored. Then they would just talk, about everything and nothing. Sometimes serious things like their futures or Albus's fathers adventures or Violet's and James relationship. Sometimes dumb things, like how Proffesor Jensign looked like a walrus, or the way Nevilles face turned red after Fred told him he needed to get laid and let loose, or the way the clouds looked. They just talked and talked until it was late and then they'd go inside, and sit with Scorpius by the fire as he talked on and on about his date wasn't right, but she was a hell of a snogger or how annoying Rose was being or how funny Rose is. Just moments like these that were only little nothing's but ended up making big everythings.

Violet turned turned the corner and ran straight into the scatter-brianed hufflepuff, Melanie Charlotte. She was a cute little thing, rosy cheeks, dimples, short blonde curls, a little pudgy.

"Oh! Viola! I'm sorry!" Melanie said.

"It's fine Melanie, and it's actually Violet,"

"Goodness I'm sorry again!" Melanie smacked her head and smiled at Violet.

Violet laughed,"Its fine dont worry. Are you ok? you look a little panicked."

"Yes. Im fine but have you by chance seen Nadia? We got in a huge fight last night and I woke up and went to apologize and then she wasn't there, and I asked like everyone in the entire school and no ones seen her,"

"No I'm sorry, I just got up, I'll tell her your looking for her though,"

"Well thanks a bunch Viola! If you do find her tell her that I want to apologize!"

Melanie said as she rushed off opposite the direction of Violet.

"Sure, and it's Violet..." Violet trailed off realizing she wouldn't hear the correction. She just shook her head and continued down the hall.

"Vi!" Albus shouted at her.

"Bloody hell, wait up woman!" Scorpius shouted after him.

Violet turned around and waited for the two to catch up.

"Suprised you two got up so early," Violet said as she fell in step with the two.

"Bloody Hunter Gray, the anal prick. Comes in wakes everyone in the dorm up. I outta have hit him and told him to shut the hell up," Scorpius said angrily.

"No you shouldn't have," Violet told him giving him a look.

"Mate you did tell him to shut the hell up," Albus slapped Scorpius on the back.

"I know, I'm just saying I should have thrown in a nice right hook,"

"Scorpius, didn't you get enough fight last night?" Violet sighed, clearly disapproving of her friends violent methods.

"Aw Violet, I'm just fuckin with ya. Why're you up so early?" Scor threw his arm around her shoulders as he laughed at her annoyance.

"Rose woke me up bothering me about where her earrings from Grant were, then Sally came in and started making noise,"

"Why does she want the earrings from Grant? Didn't they break up like last year?" Albus asked.

"No they broke up four months ago, and she wants them because she saw him flirting with Calli and she hates Calli so she doesn't want him to go out with her so she figures wearing the earrings he gave her will encourage him to ignore Calli and go after Rose, even though she doesn't like him, so theres no point in him going after her,"

"That girls mental," Scorpius commented.

"Yeah she is, did you know she paid a couple of house elves to pack her stuff for her? I wake up and everything's still in its place, as if she is staying here another week, and then she tells me she paid house elves to pack everything for her!"

"She did! Why didn't I think of that!" Scorpius said to himself while Violet just rolled her eyes at him.

"Well like Scorpius said, she's mental," Albus added.

"Whatever, I'm suprised she would do that with Hermione and all her protest for equal rights,"

"That's probably why she did it, to rebel against Aunt Hermione," Albus said.

"Why would she do that? Its not like she'll find out Rose did it,"

"Knowing Rose its probably just for self satisfaction. She's just going through a stage," Albus said

"Yeah or she's mental," Scorpius added.

"Whatever, what do you guys say we go enjoy the last meal we'll be eating at Hogwarts as fourth years?" Albus said

"On we go Albie!"

"Don't call me that!"

"Scorpie, Albie stop fighting,"

"hey!"

* * *

Approximately 8:30 in the morning

"Guys just shut up and follow my lead ok?" Fred interrupted his friends chatter as they trudged toward Proffesor Longbottom's office to relay the story of the previous night, "We aren't going to say we were out at night, we're going to say it was the early morning early enough so it was dark, but late enough so we couldn't get in trouble,"

"Pray tell Fred, what time is that?" James asked

"Uhh, I don't know but I figure Louis would know it. You do right Louis?"

"Yes, I would assume its around 5:30 to be the perfect cover time, well not _perfect_ since it was fairly bright at 5:30 this morning, but it will do-"

"Yeah yeah yeah, let's get this show on the road already, I don't feel like being late to breakfast," Lorcan said.

"I second that the last time we were so late we missed it and had to eat twice as much at lunch to make up for it," Lysander supported his twin per usual.

"No mate, we didn't, you two did. Us three just went to the kitchen and ate the left overs from breakfast," James said

"Yeah well we don't much feel like eatin when we're surrounded by load of creepy house elves," Lorcan said.

"Yeah the ones at Hogwarts are notorious for being severely infected with Nargles," Lysander added while Lorcan nodded in agreement.

"..."

"..."

"Anyway..." Louis said trying to get back on track, "the plan is-"

"I believe I was the plan leader actually Louis," Fred interjected,"so the plan is, tell Neville that we were out practicing our quidditch while Lysander and Louis watched, then Louis suggested we go for a swim, we all agree and head toward the water, once there we see the monster, and like responsible students rush inside and prepare to tell a teacher,"

"Ok good but why are we practicing on the last day of school at five in the morning," James said

"And why would I suggest going for a swim, I'm not sweaty. I wouldn't need to swim," Louis said

"Yeah, also I only watch quidditch games, not practices. So you got that wrong to," Lysander said.

"Seems fine to me," Lorcan said simply.

"Argh, fine we were visiting Hagrid then and we were walking back saw it and ran,"

"No, that won't work, he'll probably ask Hagrid."

"Fine, we were helping you do an experiment Louis."

"At the end of the year? Louis' a nerd, but he ain't that big of a nerd," James said.

"Why is it just us five anyway? Wouldn't Violet and Albus and Molly make a much more convincing lie?"

"Uh no, they wouldn't, because we're the rogues and we lie the best out of the entire school, and James said he wanted it to just be us five," Lorcan said

"Well how come James?" All four pairs of eyes turned to James waiting for an explanation of why they would be taking the heat for this. James sheepishly ran his fingers through his hair, he wouldn't tell them the real reason( because he didn't want to get them any more involved already. They might get hurt or something) because if he did then that, my friend, would be a vulnerability and he was much to tough for those.

So as James floundered for an explanation Neville Longbottom rounded the corner, turned and noticed the five biggest trouble makers standing outside his office.

"You five! If you did anything to my office I'll know it was you!"

They all started at the voice, not expecting Professor Longbottom to be out and about the castle since he usually sticks to his office. They quickly recovered though and turned to face him clearing all evidence of being caught trying to fabricate a plausible story that was clearly fake, but still stick mainly to the real one.

"Professor! Why do you always assume we're up to no good?" James said an expression of faux hurt on his face.

"Because you usually are. Now what do I owe the pleasure of seeing you five outside my office looking guilty on the day we leave? Surely not to say goodbye to your favorite professor?"

"No no, nothing like that. We already said goodbye to Hagrid anyway,"

"Very funny James," Neville deadpanned as he unlocked his office door and let the five trouble makers in.

"Actually professor, we're here to tell you something we saw," Louis said as Neville sat down in his seat and began studying the papers scattered on his desk.

"Oh?" Neville said still staring down at the papers.

"Yes, Professor you see we were out this morning, and we saw something," Louis said

"And, what was it you saw?" Neville was humoring them calmly as he usually did when they came to him with their ridiculous stories.

"Well, we don't really know actually," Louis said sheepishly scratching his head.

Neville lifted his head up and stared at the five in silence, waiting for an explanation.

"You see Professor, we don't even understand it ourselves," James interrupted the silence and began telling the confusing story, "we were all out by the lake bout right before dawn, and we turn and we see this thing-"

"a monster!"

"Yes this monster and it starts chasing us so we run into Hogwarts and in one of the secre- I mean broom closets, and next thing we know the thing is gone, no trace of it whatsoever,"

"Uh huh, and before we get into the monster," Neville air quoted the word ,"may I ask what you five were doing down at the lake before the sun had risen, when each of you have been sent to my office for ditching class to sleep in,"

"Oh..well...er Lorcan thought we'd all go for a morning swim?" Fred ended up phrasing what should have been a convincing statement as a question.

"Are you asking me or telling me Fred?"

"Telling, he's definitely telling sir," Louis answered for his friend.

"Well thank you for clearing that up Fred," Neville said sarcastically with a pointed look towards Louis.

"No problem sir, now back to the story-"

"Yes back to the story, so you five, who never wake up early, even to get to classes-required for your O.W.L.S-decide to go for a morning swim, at dawn and see a monster. That is the story correct?" Neville paused as the five nodded in agreement ,"Lorcan may I ask why you had the sudden urge to go for a swim at dawn?" Neville leaned back in his chair; his hands clasped in his lap waiting for the answer.

"Oh well you see professor, I had a nightmare about a wackrunt graindy-"

"Wait wait wait, what in the world is a wackrunt graindy?" Neville asked completely baffled.

"Its a creature that only inhabits dark caves and feeds off of small bugs and creatures, until muggles go exploring the caves, then they sneak up on them and stick their claws into them and bite their whole head clean off," Lysander answered him, completely confident that wackrunt graindys existed.

"And Im assuming Luna told you about these creatures?"

"Yes, we even went searching for them last summer, unfortunately they can sense magic and they flee to quickly for us to catch them, elusive creatures those wackrunt graindys are,"

Neville looked over to James, Fred and Louis. The three just stared calmly back at him, as if they too believed in wackrunt graindys. (They didn't, they had just become so accustomed to their friends' weird talk, it became normal).

"Well anyways then... so you had a nightmare about a Wackrunt Graindy..."

"Right sir! So I woke up in quite a fright, which is normal Wackrunts are quite fearsome creatures, and I couldn't get back to sleep no way no how. And then I remembered when I was little and used to have nightmares, I would always go for a swim to calm me down, so I woke up these four gits and made them go swimming with me,"

"Uh huh, and next you saw the monster?" Neville stared at Lorcan waiting for an answer. He had to hand it to the kid though, great liar.

"Yes Professor, we were all getting out of the water when I turned to the trees and saw it I quickly told the other four and we all took off running," Louis said

"And can you describe this monster for me ?"

"Well it would have been tall, but it had a hunched back, like really hunched, and instead of eyes they had these black pits that seemed to go on forever,"

"and it had orange skin, and it was really thin,"

"Yeah it was like someone flattened it's skin as much as they could then stretched it around its skeleton,"

"and it had this scream, I don't know how to describe it but it was pretty freaky Professor,"

"Right," Neville said with an irritated tone, "Next time boys please do come to me with a more believable story,"

"Professor! We aren't lying," Louis said.

"Yeah Neville, I mean we have told you a ton of fake stories but this one is true I swear on it!" James added

"Like you swore on the last one? And the one before that?" Neville asked.

"This is different Neville! I actually mean it this time!"

"No James, you don't, just like you didn't last time and the time before that and before that. It's the last day you think you could give us all some peace,"

"Nev-"

"Enough James! Enough of your nonsense! Out of my office" and with that Neville turned and began studying the papers on his desk once again.

"Fine," James turned swiftly and walked out of Nevilles office the other four rogues following him.

As they closed the door Lorcan opened his mouth to say something(undoubtedly stupid) but stopped when he saw Louis give a minuscule shake of his head. James stared angrily ahead as he walked cursing Neville in his mind. James' anger only covered up the hurt he was feeling though. Neville, a man James considered his uncle wouldn't even believe him, he didn't even listen. He just snubbed him. Sure James had told plenty of white lies before, but this one was real, why couldn't Neville see this?

"Why didn't he believe me?" James asked his friends.

"I don't know mate," Fred slapped his friend on his shoulder "but let's go to breakfast,"

"What are we going to do about the monster though?" Louis turned and asked his friends.

"I don't know Loius, does it matter though? I mean it's the last day we'll be here,"

James pushed his glasses back up on his nose and sighed " Lysander's right, lets go.

* * *

"Oi Rogues!" Scorpius yelled at the five as they were about to turn into the great hall.

"Ugh, right when I'm about to get some bloody food!" Lorcan moaned as they waited for the three to join them.

"Oh shut it, you'll get your food soon enough, what's five more minutes," James told him.

"Yeah, maybe if it had just been Albus and Scorpius, but with Violet added into the equation it'll take ages," Lorcan moaned, once again.

"Dont be a tosser Lorc," Lysander told him, "Plus, it's not like you're going to starve," Lysander jabbed him in the ribs.

"What does that mean you git?" Lorcan turned to Lysander.

"Knock it off you two," Louis told them.

"_You_ knock it off," Lorcan told him.

"Lorcan grow up," Louis said

"_You_ grow up,"

"You're being incredibly annoying,"

"_You're_ being incredibly annoying,"

James, Fred and Lysander had begun to laugh at the two some time in between this, demonstrating their advanced senses of humor.

"Ahh you can always expect to hear the most stimulating conversations when you come to speak to the rogues," Albus said as he stood in front of the five.

Louis and Lorcan stopped their arguing and turned to face Albus, elbowing each other in the ribs discreetly and shooting dirty looks at each other. Fred turned to Albus, still laughing and slapped him on the back, "Albus, always the jokester!" Fred said sarcastically.

James turned his attention to Violet who looked like she slept about an hour of sleep last night. Jeez she looked bad, didn't girls have some stupid spell to help with tired eyes? Oh well, he'd still date her, of course she would have to clean up, that wasn't the point though. While James tried to remember where his train of thought was headed when it left the station, Violet had noticed him staring at her.

"Yes Potter?" Violet said cooly.

"What?" James was pulled from his search of purpose on his thoughts and focused back on Violet.

"Is there something you needed?"

"Oh no, you look terrible though. Of course I'll still date you no worries," James said as if he was doing her an immense favor.

Albus sighed, for someone who claimed to know girls like the back of his hand he sure ended up saying a lot of stupid stuff to them, "Did you guys tell Neville?" He asked over James and Violets argument

"Oh wow you're so generous Potter, please I don't want to bother you with how I look,"

"Huh?" Fred turned his attention away from their argument.

"Did you tell Neville?"

"Don't worry babe, wouldn't bother me at all," James winked at Violet.

"About the monster? Yeah we told him," Fred said as he laughed at his friend.

"God you're so stupid Potter,"

"Didn't believe us though," Lysander added.

"What do you mean he didn't believe you?" Scorpius asked.

"Apparently we told him to many fake stories before, so he thought this one was a fake," Lorcan said.

"How am I stupid? Your the one who won't go on a date with the catch of the school"

"James stop shouting," Louis said.

"I'm not shouting. Am I shouting Fred?"

"But you convinced him it wasn't right?" Albus said.

"Nah mate; not at all!" Fred lied.

"I have news for you Potter, you aren't the catch of the school, and I will never go out with you, and you're stupid because you think I will,"

"Well he kinda kicked us outta his office so we didn't get the chance, but it's not like it matters I mean it's the last day of school, and it'll probably die anyway. It looked halfway dead when we saw it. We figured it'll play itself out," Fred told him.

"Oh come on Allender, stop being such a kill-joy and go on a date with me,"

"No"

"So you're telling me, there's a dangerous creature running around Hogwarts that could be killing people, that we know nothing about and you five decided to let it play itself out,"

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No"

"Well when you say it like that it doesn't sound like such a hot idea," Lorcan said.

"Thats because it bloody wasn't you prat! Merlin I knew I shouldnt have let you five take care of this. You five can't do anything right!"

"Come on please?"

"Alright fine,"

"Really?"

"Stop shouting James," Louis said.

"No not really you idiot!"

"Violet please be quiet," Louis was glancing around as people stared at the group in two seperate arguments.

"Albus I think you're over reacting here a little bit,"

"Yeah mate it is the last day, I mean it's not like it's gonna charge the castle with all of us in it," Scorpius told him.

Albus glanced at all the people standing around him and suddenly realized, arguing with them would be pointless, he would have to handle things himself.

"Whatever, Im going to breakfast, are you two coming?" Albus turned to Violet and Scorpius.

"Yes," Violet shoved past James and began walking with Scorpius and Albus to their usual spot.

"Save me a spot next to you would you Allender?" Violet just turned and gave James a glare.

"Wow, she sure is something amazing huh?"

"No."

"No."

"No."

"No."

* * *

The three of them sat down at the table, as Lucy walked past them.

"Oi Lucy!" Albus called out to his cousin.

"Hey Al," Lucy said turning to him.

"Have you seen Molly?"

"Nope,"

"Well when you see her tell her I'm looking for her,"

"Will do, bye Al," Lucy turned and walked back up to her friends.

"Why are you looking for Molly?" Violet asked him quietly.

"Hey Al what year is Lucy in again?" Scorpius asked.

"To tell her what's going on, and get her to come with me to Neville to tell him they weren't lying. Shes in third why?"

"Never noticed how cute she was, you think she'd go out with me?"

"No, she wouldn't,"

"Wait, but Albus, as much as I hate to admit it the rogues had a point it's the last day of school, whats the point in starting something right now?"

"The point is, Vi, what if it doesn't die over summer and its still there when we get back? What do we do then?"

"I think she'd date me,"

"You're not taking her on a date Scorpius,"

"Well what if it does? Now we'll have a huge uproar in Hogwarts, and they'll all want to bother us with questions about it. You'll be making something out of nothing,"

"Vi, you saw that thing, this wouldn't be something out of nothing, this would be something out of something,"

"The most they could do is capture it, and classify it as a creature, Al they can't do anything, the people who run wizards for creatures rights won't let the ministry hunt them, and there's plenty of dangerous creatures in the forest. It's not like it would stand out,"

"I'm gonna have to side with Violet on this one. But anyways, Al I think I'm gonna go out with Lucy,"

"Vi, why are you being so blasé? This isn't just some creature, you saw it, you were terrified last night. And no Scorpius, I think you aren't,"

"I know it's just, if you think about it, I'm right. And I don't need anymore drama in my life,"

Albus states down at his plate, she had a point, the Ministry wouldn't do much, they would send in someone to look for it, decide what class of creature it is and that's about it. They wouldn't move it, there's plenty of dangerous creatures in the forest, what would one more be? Albus sighed, "I guess you're right,"

"Yeah she is. So Al tell me about Lucy, her likes, dislikes, you know,"

"Scorpius you are not going to take Lucy out on a date,"

* * *

Lucy walked down the hall laughing and chattering with her friends as they headed back to the Ravenclaw dorm. Tucking a stray lock of her curly red hair behind her ears as she was laughing at a story Hana was telling her, she saw her older sister Molly round the corner holding her boyfriend, Jonathan's, hand and talking animatedly with her best friend.

"Hey guys I'll catch up with you, I have to tell Molly something," Lucy said to her friends then began walking towards Molly.

"Molly!"

"Hey Luc!" Molly smiled at her little sister.

"Albus is looking for you, it seemed important. He's in the great hall with Scorpius and Violet,"

"Oh alright, I'm headed there anyway,"

"Yep, I gotta go catch up with my friends, I'll see you at home,"

"Bye,"

Lucy smiled and walked in the opposite direction as Molly. As she rounded the corner she saw a frazzled looking Melanie Charlotte headed her way.

"Excuse me, have you seen Nadia?" Melanie asked Lucy.

"No sorry, if I see her I'll tell her you're looking for her,"

"Thank you!" Melanie smiled and then dashed off towards another group of kids. Somehow it always ended with Lucy being the messenger. She sighed and kept walking.

* * *

"Hey Albus you were looking for me?" Molly walked up to him with her boyfriend and best friend. Scorpius ducked his head slightly, hoping her best friend, Savannah Priar, wouldn't notice him. He had taken her on a date, messed around with her, and then conveniently never ran into her again. By conveniently I mean he avoided her like she was the plague.

"Yeah," Albus glanced at Savannah and Jonanthan, "Um I'll just tell you later,"

"Ok.." Molly gave him a weird look and walked off with the two.

Scorpius let out a breath he had been holding, "that was a close one!"

"Yeah, that would have been horrible: you talking to a girl you used to date," Violet told him

"Seriously!" Scorpius said, not catching on to the sarcasm in Violet's voice and shoveling food into his mouth. Albus just shook his head and laughed at the two.

* * *

Approximately 10:45

Albus, Scorpius, Rose, and Violet all walked out of their carriage headed towards the station. Albus was in a sour mood because after he told Molly she had agreed with what Violet had said, leading to him keeping the story of monster, a secret from Neville.

"Hey guys, that bird Melanie ask you if she'd seen Nadia?" Scorpius asked walking up next to Violet and Albus, with Rose following.

"Yeah she asked me this morning, a couple minutes before I saw you and Al,"

"I hear she's been asking everyone, apparently she said something pretty awful to Nadia last night, and she's looking for her since," Rose said.

"What'd she say?" Scorpius asked her.

"Well from what I've been told, apparently Nadia decided to have a little end of the year get together, and decided to invite a couple people Melanie told her not too namely her ex-boyfriend, Max Keetly. They get in a fight and Melanie decides to ignore her for the rest of the day. So at the party, Nadia gets drunk, as usual, starts going a crazy, as usual, and get this; hooks up with Max in a broom closet-,"

"It sounds like Nadia should be apologizing to Melanie," Albus said pulling his trunk along behind him.

"I'm not done. So Melanie, who is also quite drunk, feels bad about their fight and decides to go looking for her. And what should happen, but she stumbles upon a half naked Max and a sloshed Nadia snogging like nobodies buisness. Melanie looses it, she throw Max's clothes at him, he bolts and it's just Melanie shouting at Nadia, while Nadia just stands their apologizing. Then Melanie hits her, she _hit_ her! And she says 'you're a good-for-nothing slag, you're going to end up just like your mom, a drug-addicted whore, and just as fucking ugly'" Rose looked at their three faces.

"Wow," Violet breathed

"Yeah jeez, that's pretty harsh," Scorpius said.

"Well where did Nadia go after that?" Albus asked.

"Nobody knows, and if they do, no ones talking," Rose told him.

"Wow," Violet said again, "that's really mean, I didn't know Melanie could be so awful. She always seemed so sweet,"

"Apparently Melanie had gotten tired of Nadia's typical bull shit, and this was the last straw. Plus she's a pretty awful drunk I've went to a hufflepuff party once, let's just say she sure knows how to piss people off when she's drunk,"

"You went to a hufflepuff party?" Scorpius asked as if she had decided to shave her head.

"Well I was dating Jake Taylor at the time, he may have been a hufflepuff but man, that bloke knew how to snog,"

"Jake Taylor? That kids a bloody wanker," Scorpius said.

Rose shrugged, "Sure, but he was cute, a good snogger, and I needed a date,"

Violet walked in silence listening to the three's conversation as they all trudged to the station where the Hogwarts Express waited for them.

"Rose!" Lily Potter called her older cousins name as she ran up to her, Hugo following her his orange hair sticking up in different directions.

"Hullo Violet, Scorpius," Lily said to them, and ignored Albus as she walked over to Rose. Her and Albus were in a fight because he had intimidated some Ravenclaw bloke out of asking her out a couple of months back. She had just found out a couple days ago and exploded on him. Albus' defense was you should be glad I didn't tell James, then James showed up and saw his younger siblings fighting, and being the caring eldest sibling went to find out what's wrong. Of course he sided with Albus, which led to Lily being mad at James also.

"Hullo Lily," Rose said to her as she walked up.

"Hey I never got the chance to ask you, how did your date go?" Lily asked.

"Date? With who?" Hugo asked curiously, he was always getting into Rose's business, actually he was always getting into everyone's business.

"None of your business," Rose made a face at him and shove him over to Albus and Scorpius who were talking about some bird. Rose turned back to Lily, "it didn't happen actually, I forgot about him and showed up too late,"

"Oh, that's too bad, you really liked him," Lily said.

"Ahh," Rose waved her hand at the idea, "I'll like him as much as I'll like the next one. Who're you sitting with on the train?"

"I dunno," Lily shrugged.

"So us then," Rose threw her arm around Lily.

"Guess so,"

The six of them walked into the train.

* * *

Approximately 2:00

The five rogues we're lounging around their usual compartment; back compartment in the third cart. Louis was sitting in the corner of thier compartment silently reading a book and glancing up at Lysander and Fred occasionally. Next to him was Lorcan who was also watching Lysander and Fred just not as relaxed as Louis. He kept shifting in his seat, trying to find a comfortable spot and sighed about every other second as to notify his friends how uncomfortable he was. James was across from Lorcan and Louis laying down on the seat with his hands behind his head, joking with Fred. Which left Fred and Lysander on the floor caught up in the current Exploding Snap game between the two. Lysander was loosing, but he didn't seem to care that much since he kept staring off into space and mentioning how their compartment was infested with Nargles.

"I'm starrrvvinngg," Lorcan complained.

"You said that already," Fred commented.

"Whens the lady with the cart coming around?" Lorcan asked loudly.

"She already came around, and you bought nearly all her food and ate it all with out sharing!" Fred said to him

"Yeah you're like a fucking vacuum Lorcan I swear to Merlin," James added.

"It's a wonder how you're not obese by now," Louis said flipping a page.

"He's got a fast metabolism," Lysander mumbled and then flipped over a card which exploded in his face, "shoot,"

"Mates, I'm so hungrrryyyyy," Lorcan dragged out the word as if they wouldn't understand if he had said it normally.

"We _know_ Lorcan," They all said.

"James, please go get food for me," Lorcan begged.

"Get your own food,"

Lorcan began fake crying and grabbed his stomach, "James its eating itself, _please_,"

"James just go it'll shut him up," Fred said.

"Fine," James huffed and got up. He pushed open the door and began walking out when Louis told him to wait up. The two of them walked out of their compartment.

They walked in a comfortable silence past the first couple of compartments. James had his hand in his pockets and was strutting in his typical manner. While Louis was walking normally with his hands by his side, looking in the compartments as they passed.

"Oi James,"

"What?"

"What was up with you last night, after we saw everything?"

James looked sideways at his friend, he wasn't too keen on talking about feelings, they made him feel girly. Plus he already discussed it with Fred(not really though). Louis was waiting patiently and kept walking. James though he could get away with not answering if he just kept walking in silence.

"So?" apparently not. Louis was going to press him for answers, he had no problem with sharing feelings, he had grown up with three girls, and he was always a mamma's boy.

"Nothin' was up I was tired that's all,"

"Oh?" Louis raised his eyebrows. He knew he was lying.

Bloody git, being emotionally experienced or whatever. "Fine, I don't know," James hand went up to his hair and he ran his hand through it trying to clear his thoughts. He could never voice what he was feeling so people could understand, it always came out a mess.

"Violet?" Louis asked

James gave a dry laugh, "Of course it's Violet, who else is there in my life that causes me problems. I don't know last night, she just- I don't know it doesn't matter," James gave his friend a smirk.

Louis glanced at him, waiting for him to continue.

James sighed, he knew there was no getting out of this, "It's just, I helped her, I protected her, and was all chivalrous like you said I should be. I pushed her behind me when we saw the monster and I pulled her all the way with me when we ran and then, when we're safe, she just rips her hand out of mine and acts like I inconvenienced her by helping. She's just so infuriating; I cant do anything right in her bloody eyes,"

James lapsed back into silence after that.

"You know James, my mum always said there's a thin line between hate and love, you just gotta give her time. I'm sure she was grateful, but she had just been chased by a monster and being averse to you is like a second nature to her. She was probably just being rude to comfort herself or something, girls are weird like that,"

They walked in silence until they finally found the cart and stocked up on enough food to last Lorcan's bottomless stomach.

"Hey Louis," James said as they made their way back to their compartment, "how come you're so smart with girls and emotions?"

"I've had to put up with Victiore and Dom my whole life. You learn a couple things after mediating their fights over and over again,"

"Guess so, those two do get in a lot of fights! I remember one time Dom thought it would be funny to cut off all of Victoire's hair when they were little, I swear Victoire's head practically lit on fire she was so mad," James laughed at the memory.

"That's not even that bad of a fight, one summer we all went to France to visit aunt Gabrielle and Victoire got mad because Dom told on her for sneaking out to see Teddy who was working up there at the time, so at night Victoire goes in and turns Dom's skin orange for a week, jeez I've never heard so much screaming in my life,"

Melanie walked up to the two laughing boys, "S'cuse me, umm have you guys seen Nadia by chance?"

"Nah," James said to her.

"No, sorry love," Louis winked cheekily at her. Another advantage to growing up with two girls was that Louis definitely knew how to play them well.

"Really? Man I've been looking for her all day," Melanie said mostly to herself.

"That's sucks," James said trying his best to sound sympathetic, unfortunately this was his best.

Louis elbowed him in the ribs, "You know I'm sure there's a few places you haven't checked," Louis stepped closer to her and put his arm against the wall

"No, no I've checked almost everywhere," Melanie said a blush creeping up her cheek.

"Hmm that's to bad," Louis took a strand of her hair and started twirling it around his fingers

Melanie gulped. Louis Weasley, boy was he fit. But she was supposed to be looking for Nadia- no time for boys. But this was _Louis Weasley_ for Merlin's sake. _Look _at him. No Nadia Melanie reminded herself. But _Louis_.

"You know I could help you if you wanted," Louis have her his trademark smile.

"Y-you know, I umm I," Louis had moved to her neck and began playing with the chain on her neck.

"You?" Louis said. James just watched this bemusedly. He had seen Louis pick up plenty of girls as had Louis seen James pick up many girls. Louis was much more smooth than James though, he always said the exact right words. Where as James just kinda dove in and hoped he ended up with a naked girl in his bed at the end of the night.

"I-uhh," Louis had her now.

"Come on I'll help you," Louis ran his hand down her arm and slipped it into her hand.

"I'll catch you later James,"

"Yeah," James laughed at his friend, who knew a kid who was so studious and innocent looking could entrap girls as well as James.

James opened the compartment door couple of minutes later and threw down the food he had gotten, "There you pig, what're you lot talkin about?" James laid back down on the seat and looked at the three who hadn't moved since he left.

"Melanie Charlottes arse, she came in a couple of minutes ago asking about that bird Nadia," Fred said

"Wait until Louis comes back, I'm sure he'll be able to tell you all about it," James said then swiped the licorice wand that Lysander was about to eat out of his hand.

* * *

Approximately 5:00

The Hogwarts express rolled into the station letting off the thick dewy steam, making the platform cloudy and the parents cough. The students started shuffling off the platform and to their parents who waited with the dreaded kisses.

"Oi Louis your hair is messy in the back," Lysander said.

"Yeah don't want to tip off your mom that you had a quickie in an abandoned compartment," Fred teased his friends.

"Aww shove it, like you lot haven't done it before. Plus what can I say, Melanie couldn't keep her hands off me,"

"Whatever mate, there are our parents," Lorcan said and pointed over to the group who were all standing around talking about something uninteresting to the five who were headed their way.

* * *

"Al,come on," Rose yanked his sleeve.

Albus was lagging on the train waiting for Scorpius.

"Hold on Scorpius is doing something,"

"Who cares," Rose said yanking his sleeve again, "if Hugo gets there before me he'll get to apparate with Mum and the last time I was stuck with Dad we ended up in the completely wrong place,"

"I'll go with you Rose, these two will catch up," Violet said walking out of the compartment with Lily and Rose.

"Let's go," Lily said walking ahead of them.

"Yeah we'll catch up later,"

The three girls walked out of the train and over to Rose's parents.

"Look it's the three flowers! Violet, Lily and Rose!" Ron laughed at his cheesy joke as Rose ducked her head in embarrassment and moaned.

"Dad you tell this joke every . ."

"Awh Rosie, you know it's pretty funny," Ron playfully shook her shoulder

"You know what Rosie, I got a knew joke for you, what's black and white, black and white, black and white?"

Rose sighed,"I don't know dad,"

"I know a newspaper!" Lily exclaimed.

"Nope! A penguin rolling down a hill," Ron started laughing at his newest joke as Rose put her hand to her face and said under her breath, "so embarrassing."

"Honestly Ronald, you tell this joke to everyone," Hermione said hugging Rose.

"It's funny! Harry isn't it funny?"

"Uhh sure mate... Look here comes Al and Scor," Harry said to Ginny.

"And there's the 'Rogues'" Ginny giggled at her sons group's name.

Violet looked around for Reneé, she was a friend of her mothers and she was supposed to be spending the summer with her and her three kids. Knowing her though she was probably lost.

"Oh my boy!" Ginny grabbed James and started kissing him on his face to embarrass him.

"Mum knock it off Violet's right there," James whispered to his mum as he glanced at Violet who was talking with Scorpius and his parents.

Ginny let James go, who wiped his face off, and turned and squeezed Albus and kissed him on the cheek.

"Hullo Mum," Albus said hugging her back.

"Oh I missed you! How was your school year? Any progress with the whole James and Violet situation?"

Ginny whispered the last part, a bit loudly though.

"I can hear you mum!" James said irritated, turning from talking to his dad to say to her.

"Nope, none at all. If anything she hates him more," Albus said to his mum.

"Hey!" James said indignantly.

Albus walked over to where Scorpius, Rose and Violet were standing.

"I gotta go, write me ok?"

"Of course," Violet said and hugged him.

"If I'm bored. Maybe then," Rose joked as Scorpius pulled her in for a hug.

"Definitely Mate," Albus smiled and shook his friends hand.

"See you lot later," Scorpius said and then walked over to his parents and apparated away.

"Violet there you are!" Reneé said coming up behind her.

"Reneé!" Violet hugged her tightly, "Everyone this is Reneé she's who I'm staying with this summer, Reneé this is Albus and Rose,"

"Nice to meet you two!" Reneé bypassed their hands and pulled them both in for a bone-crushing hug.

"Where are Valerie, Ryan and Ashlyn?" Valerie, Ryan and Ashlyn were considered Violets neices and nephews for all intensive purposes, even though they weren't related in the slightest.

"Oh with their father, he wanted to take them to some stupid book release party for his newest book, "Fighting with Yetis: A look into the life of mountaineers" So it's just going to be you and me until they come back,"

"Hello," Violet turned her head and saw James standing there. Her smile immediately changed into a grimace.

"Oh Hello, and you are?" Reneé said to James.

"Oh I'm suprised Violet hasn't told you about me yet, silly Violet. She's quite forgetful this one," James grabbed her waist and pulled her in, "I'm her boyfriend,"

"Oh Violet why didn't you tell me? he so good looking too," Reneé whispered the last part to her. James over heard and smirked at her.

"She probably didn't want to get ahead of herself isn't that right love?" James began leaning in for a kiss. Before he could get close enough Violet put her hand on his face and shoved him off of her.

"Violet! That is no way to treat your boyfriend!" Reneé exclaimed.

"Yes Violet," Rose joked.

"That," Violet pointed at James, "is _not_ my boyfriend.

"What?"

Ginny and Harry walked over to the group, time to clean up the mess James made.

"He is not and will never be my boyfriend. _Ever_," Violet said.

"Stop playing hard to get Violet, we're meant to be. We're like written in the stars or something,"

"Wait, what's happening I don't follow,"

"Excuse us," Harry said putting his hand on Violet and James shoulders who were glaring at each other, well Violet was glaring, James was more giving her a smug smile.

"Hello, I'm Ginny Potter and this is my husband Harry. It seems you've met our son James,"

"Oh, hello, I'm Reneé! And yes, are those two dating?" Reneé asked pointing at James and Violet.

"Yes," James said the same time Violet said no.

"Uh No they aren't," Ginny said.

"Oh but James thinks-,"

"Yes our son seems to think a lot of things that aren't quite accurate," Ginny put her hand on James shoulder.

"Oh I was confused there for a second," Reneé let out a laugh.

"Yeah James logic does that to a lot of people," Albus said.

"Oh! Listen I really am sorry I'd love to stay and talk but I really need to get back, Violet are you ready?" Reneé asked.

"Yeah," Violet hugged Albus and Rose.

"Promise you two will write?"

"Everyday," Albus said.

"Sure," Rose shrugged, then laughed.

"Hey Allender, if I write to you will you answer?" James asked her.

"No,"

"Well it was nice meeting you," Reneé said to all of them.

"It's ok Allender, I'll write anyway," James said to her.

Violet grabbed ahold of Reneé's arm. Before they apparated though, Violet looked at James and said, "Don't,"

* * *

Approximately 8:05 in the evening

Nadia opened her eyes drowsily. She was wet, and cold. Something was off. She went to move her hands but couldn't. They were tied down. Nadia opened her eyes fully and looked around, she was in a dank room. There was a door open where a dim light was shining through illuminating the room. Nadia sucked in a breath and started yanking at her restraints, she was laying in something, a table maybe. She didn't know. Nadia felt a scream building in her stomach as she frantically yanked at the robe tied around her wrist. The last thing she could remember was going for a jog around the Hogwarts lake this morning. Was it still this? Was it yesterday morning? A week ago? Nadia felt a trickle of blood drip down her wrist as she ripped viciously at the rope.

Nadia opened her mouth to let out a scream, but before it escaped she saw a man across the wall with his back to her, he had a slouched build and had gray hair. He was yelling at something. Nadia quieted down and listened.

"This is the wrong girl!" she heard something that sounded like a hit and a whimper.

"What do you expect me to do with her? What? Just because she had orange hair like our desired victim does not mean she is her! I should kill you now!" The man lifted his had and hit whatever it was again.

"She'll have to do since we don't have a chance of finding the right one!" With that the man turned and stomped off. Standing there was a creature with a hunched back and red welts all over it's orange skin. It turned to look at Nadia. It had black, bottomless eyes. It crawled toward her it's long willowy fingers dragging on the ground. Nadia began to scream, before she could let the sound escape her though, the monster was above her, and then everything went black.

* * *

**A/N: Hello Everyone! The second chapters up! Sorry it took so long, shame on me. Please leave me a review, just any feedback. Flamers are definitely welcome, but just make sure it's constructive criticism. Other than that how is everyones summer break? and if you're in school right now how's the school year going? And if you're neither how's life? Well I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as I can, it will mostly be in the form of letters I think.**

**-Posies**


	4. The Runaway

Ok Lily, what about this then?" James slid his letter across the table to his little sister. He had spent the last half hour trying to write a letter to Violet that wouldn't make her cross.

Lily's brown eyes moved across the page slowly, trying to decipher James' chicken scratch. She slid the letter back across the table to him while she brought a spoonful of cereal to her mouth.

"Better, but I suggest you take out that bloody fit at the end of the first paragraph."

"But if I don't put it then what am I supposed to say so she knows that she's fit,"

"I'm sure words like beautiful, and pretty would be a lot more appealing to a girl like Violet," James ran his finger through his head and picked up a new piece of parchment.

"I don't know Lily, I don't think those words really express what I think of her," James began copying his letter down again.

"Trust me James, I'm positive on this one, if you put down bloody fit you won't get a reply," Lily picked her bowl up and brought it to the kitchen. She let her bowl fall into the sink and land on the metal with a loud clank. When her parents got home from work they could just magic it clean, so Lily didn't bother to scrub it. Lily twirled a flame-red lock of her long hair as she stared out the window. It was a week into summer, and already she had nothing to do. She toyed with the idea of writing up the cute Ravenclaw she had talked to on the ride back, but after she decided to write him she realized she had forgotten his name. Lily sighed, if Rose were here she would be saying that it's for the better, a girl never writes a boy first; it gives them the illusion that you want to talk to them, which leaves no mystery. Lily never understood half the things Rose said when she talked about how to get guys. It isn't an illusion if you do actually want to talk to them. The way Lily saw it, if you want to talk to someone talk to them, straight-forward and easy. Unlike Rose's ways which were extremely complicated and riddled with, well riddles. Lily often wondered as to how Rose had gotten so knowledgable when it came to boys, it certainly hadn't come from her Aunt Hermione. Maybe it was because she spent so much time with Aunt Fleur, she certainly knew her way around the opposite sex, and Rose had always been close friends with Victoire when they were little, even though there was a six year age gap. Victoire always claimed she was Rose's mentor.

Speaking of Rose, her small night black owl was headed towards the kitchen window. Lily quickly unlatched it and pushed it open, the sweet summer breeze sweeping in; bringing the scent of flowers and sweet grass with it. Rose's owl flew through the windows, dropped the letter on the table and flew over to the ledge of the sink.

Unfortunately this caused something of a mess since the owl had dropped the letter onto the ink cartridge on the table, knocking it over onto James' letter and then flew off. Before it could get far though it nicked the top of James glass, spilling it's contents of orange juice across the table and onto the floor. James was furious of course, he thought this next letter would be the one, but now with ink covering most of it, it wouldn't be going anywhere but the trash. After Lily had managed to calm James down .He began scribbling down what he could remember of the previous letter, and sending furious glares at the owl, who munched contently on the left over bacon. Lily reached for the letter once the orange juice was soaked up and saw that it was addressed to Albus.

"Al!" Lily shouted up towards his room, "a letter! From Rose!"

"Why don't we just read it. It's from Rose how private could it be?" James said sardonically as he wrote what looked like "You're bloody fit, and pretty" onto the page.

"Because it's for Al and unlike you some of us have a sense of privacy, and I said switch, not add on!"

"Oh come on, I compromised, she'll appreciate it."

"No, she won't."

"Oh yeah, what makes you so smart when it comes to this stuff then?" James said tossing down his quill and looking up at Lily.

"Because you git, I _am_ a girl," Lily said smugly. She turned her head back towards Al's room and shouted again, "AL LETTER!"

"Yeah barely," James muttered under his breath.

Al crossed the threshold into the kitchen just as Lily brought her small hand down on the back of James head with a loud _whack_.

"Bloody hell! Merlin Lily what was that for?!," James rubbed the back of his head feigning innocence.

"I'm not deaf you idiot. I CAN HEAR YOU." Lily said to James her hand on her hips glaring down on him. Albus sighed, slouched into the kitchen and slumped into a chair.

"Here Al, it's from Rose," Lily turned her angry glare away from James who was glaring back at her- just as angrily- with his hand still on his head.

Albus grabbed the letter out of Lily's outstretched hand- leaving her to continue bickering with James.

_ALLY-POLLY-OLLY,_

_Contrary to the cute nickname this letter isn't a happy one. I assume you haven't read the newspaper for the last few days, since I have yet to receive a panicked letter from you about it. Well, it appears that the missing Nadia decided to continue avoiding Melanie, because the last couple articles in the paper have been saying she ran away. The writer speculates that she got tired of her home life and school life (they somehow found out about her spat with Melanie) and booked it. They think it happened around the time we got off the train, that she had some bloke (they say older boyfriend) waiting for her there, and before whoever was supposed to pick her up could find her she apparates away with this mystery bloke._

_You know what I think Al? I don't think she ran away. I knew Nadia, not a lot, but I knew her. She never seemed like the type to run away. I mean beautiful red head, clever, intuitive, popular, all the boys loved her, and from what she told me she loved Hogwarts and where she lived at home. Apparently her father was a muggle who struck it big as a founder of some electronic company, she had money, and I don't mean enough to buy her the newest fall collection of designer clothes by Chang designs, I mean enough to buy her the actual season fall. Call me crazy, but a girl with that kind of life wouldn't run away. Just because you have a fucked-up Mom doesn't make you run away._

_I think she was taken. By that monster. The very same one who chased us the night before we left for school. I think she was kidnapped Al. I know you will too once you read the article; too many things don't match up. You need to tell Harry what you saw that night, and you need to tell him soon, before any more students "run away"._

_All my love(cousinly-love that is)_

_Rose Adeline Weasley_

Albus lowered the letter and stared at it in shock. Nadia had run away? She couldn't have, all those people on the platform would have seen her. Of course they didn't know what her Mum looked like, or whoever had come to pick her up. But kidnapped? It was plausible Albus supposed, but why would anyone want to kidnap Nadia with all the more important kids there? There was all the Potter-Weasley clan and they even had the daughter of the minister there also. Albus didn't know what to think, she could have been kidnapped, but Rose was wrong, money and popularity don't make up for a mum's love, it was equally as likely that she ran away too.

"Al are you alright? You look pale," Lily asked concerned

"More so than usual," James joked, trying to mask his own concern.

"Lily where's today's paper? Or yesterday's?" Albus asked hurriedly, ignoring their questions.

"In the sitting room at the front of the house, why?" Lily's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. As studius as Al was, he really didn't bother much with current events; they were never very important with the end of Voldemort and all.

"Just, can you bring it to me?" Albus asked her as he read over Rose's letter again.

"Erm yeah," Lily flounced off her bare feet slapping on the wood floor.

"What's up Al?" James asked genuinely worried about him. Albus just shook his head at James.

"Is Rose ok? Did she get hurt? Did someone hurt her? I'll kill them I swear-"

"No James she's fine, it's not Rose that's in trouble,"

Lily entered the room again and handed Al the paper. And stood behind James, waiting for Albus to tell her what was happening.

Albus scanned over the article once, twice, three times. Rose was right, the arguments just didn't match up.

"Al, what's going on?" Lily asked her voice laced with worry.

Al looked up at the two, Lily's face was filled with concern for her older brother and her hand was squeezing James shoulder. James was sitting staring at him, his face wasn't filled with worry like Lily's, but his eyes were. Albus laid down the newspaper so they could see the title: _Runaway or Foul Play?_ below was a moving picture of Nadia, her red hair pulled back in a ponytail with a few strands coming loose framing her freckled-face. She was spinning in circles, and would stop every couple of spins to look at the camera, a smile lighting up her face as she laughed at whatever was happening behind the camera.

"Oh my," Lily breathed, her eyes wide with shock. She plopped into a chair and stared at the article.

James stayed silent, his face betraying no emotion as his spectacle-covered eyes zoomed over the article. James looked up and gave Albus a knowing look.

"Lilypad me and Al need to talk alone," James said, using the nickname he reserved for when he needed something or was feeling overly-brotherly.

"About what?" Lily asked, still in shock.

"Nothing you care about Lily, just go outside and ride your broom stick or something," Albus told her.

"No, why can't I hear?"

"Lilypad, come on it'll be quick, we just need to talk brother to brother,"

"You're lying," Lily accused

"Lily just go, we can't tell you ok?" Albus said.

"Al," James gave Albus a pointed look, when you wanted Lily out of the room that wasn't the way to go about it, "Lilypad please,"

"No! Stop calling me Lilypad," Lily had her armed crossed, and an indignant look painting her face.

Albus looked at James, imploring whether or not he would take care of this, or if the would have to physically move her themselves.

James sighed, when she was little it was difficult to get her to leave the two of them alone, he always had to trick her somehow. Now that she was old enough to know she was being tricked, and had developed into a mini Ginny, with the stubbornness, fiery temper and all, it was practically impossible.

"Lilypad, I swear I will do all your homework for the summer break if you just let us talk alone," bribery was the only thing that worked with Lily now. Lily stared at James for a while, debating if it was worth it.

"You swear?"

"I swear."

"Fine," Lily got up and walked out of the kitchen. Rather than leave though, she waited just beyond where James, who was facing the doorway, could see her. She crouched down and waited for them to began talking.

"James," Albus slid the letter across the table to James and he read it over.

"What do you think?" Albus asked him.

"I don't know, Al. I mean Rose does have a point, and it is really too much of a coincidence for her to dissapear nearly the same day as when we first sighted the monster," James ran his hands through his hair roughly while he stared at the letter.

"Yeah, but what I don't get is why her? I mean there were all of us, children of war heroes, and Halli, the daughter of the minister. Why take a girl who no one knows about?" Albus asked.

"Well Rose did say her father was rich," James set the letter down on the table and began pacing.

"Not many people knew that though, and if they were after money why would they want it from a muggle? Like I said there were plenty of children with rich wizarding parents, why go after the only one that is rich in muggle currency?"

"But think about it Al, we see the thing out the night before, then a week later, news breaks that a girl has gone missing from Hogwarts, I don't think it's a coincidence,"

Albus looked down at the letter and back to the picture of Nadia spinning in circles and laughing. Would she run away? Was she that broken? Could she really not take another summer at home?

While Albus stared, and James paced, their little red-headed sister was sitting outside of the hallway, eyes wide with shock. Her hand was over her open mouth, a monster at Hogwarts? Kidnapped? Lily knew Nadia, she was a sweet girl, she had been the one she studied with in the library those late Friday nights. She wouldn't run away, she loved her mother, she spent all her time at home with her trying to help her get over her addiction, coaxing her to eat something. She had told Lily these stories whenever she came back after Christmas break looking particularly exhausted or after she read a letter from her mother. Nadia and Lily were by no means close friends, Lily was just a kind soul, who was a shoulder to cry on and Nadia was a lost girl who had no direction in the world. Lily got up and burst into the kitchen.

"You have to tell Dad!" Lily exclaimed arm propping open the swinging door.

"Lily, what are you doing?" James said angrily, he had told her to leave, he didn't need any more of the people he cared about involved in this.

"James, i-if Nadia really was kidnapped then what? You need to tell Dad!" Lily walked over to him and grabbed his shirt, pleading with him

"Lily I told you to leave," James said pulling her hand off of him by her wrist easily, staring down at her, anger filling his eyes.

"James that doesn't matter! You need to tell him!" Lily beseeched him.

"Lily, just go for now," Albus pulled James hand off her tiny wrist and let her go as she stared at James; brown eyes meeting brown, one angry, one begging.

"Lily," Albus warned her.

"Fine," Lily whipped her hand out of Albus's and stormed out of the kitchen. She rubbed furiously at her cheek where a tear had began to fall as she stomped up the stairs.

"James, she's right," Albus said staring at the swinging kitchen door where his little sister had just run through.

James ran his hand through his hair once again pulling at the raven-black mess. "Dammit, I know," James sat down in a chair, took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "bloody girl, I tell her to leave and she doesn't listen, now what if she's targeted next because she knows about it." James had always been irrational like this when it came to Lily, he was always worried about her, scared for her. He didn't let her out of his sight for the first week of Hogwarts, until he got a letter from Ginny telling him to back off. Even when she was a kid, he had been bringing her her toys, or getting her food, or doing everything he could to protect her. Once in his fourth year he happened upon his little sister crying because some slytherin bloke had called her names until she cried, he swore he had never hit anyone harder his entire life.

"James, nothing will happen to her. No one will know she knows, its just us three here after all. Calm down. I say we tell dad when he gets home from work."

"Yeah whatever," James picked up the letter he was attempting to write to Violet and left.

Albus sighed and sat down, of course James would be no help planning, he was much more of a do-er. He left and went back to his room to write a letter to Violet, Scorpius and Molly.

* * *

"Violet honey wake up, the sun is shining, the birds are singing, the wind is blowing. Smell the sweet french morning breeze," Renee pushed open windows emitting a slight creek as the antique looking window frames burst open. A sweet breeze ran through the room ruffling Renees long blonde hair. Violet flopped over and pulled the plush covers up, over her head.

"Violet, get up breakfast is ready," Reneé hopped over and plopped onto to the bed. She reached over and grabbed the covers and pulled them back. The bright yellow sunlight pierced through Violet's eyelids.

"'M' not hungry," Violet mumbled as she rolled over and pressed her face into the pillow.

"Fine suit yourself. You can sleep longer but I need you to be up by twelve to watch the kids,"

"Why?" Violet asked mumbled into the pillow.

"Nathan and I have been invited to go to a play with his publisher and the publisher's wife. Its at a nice restaurant and bringing along a 2 year old a 5 year old and a 9 year old wouldn't be very wise, so I need you to watch them. We'll only be gone for a couple of hours, when I get back all of us can go out to dinner ," Reneé finished her statement enthusiastically but it was just met with a sleepy nod from Violet who's face was still smashed in the pillow.

Reneé got up and walked to the door her shoes making soft little pats on the dark wooden floors. Once she reached the door she turned back towards the bed and said to the brunette "Oh yes, Violet you got two letters they're on the dresser," and with that she left the room and shut the door.

Violet lied in bed motionless for a while, the soft sound of breath entering and leaving her lungs lulling her back to sleep. What Reneé said finally sunk in not much later. A LETTER! Violet's eyes burst open, the excitement shaking off the remnants of her previous drowsiness. She quickly threw off her covers and hopped onto the floor, the dark wood making her pale skin seem more translucent than before. Violet padded over to the dresser as she put her long, messy brown hair into a ponytail. She plucked the top letter up and slid her finger underneath opening. A small article fluttered out of the letter and floated towards the ground; a beam of sunlight hit the paper illuminating the dancing dust mites in the air as well as the picture on the front. Violet bent and picked it up of the floor. She stared at it perplexed, a small knot forming in between her eyebrows for there was a picture of her classmate Nadia on it with the words _Runaway or Foul Play?_ in bold black letters. Violet rubbed her finger over the picture, it was a beautiful picture of Nadia, but Nadia was a beautiful girl so most pictures of her are typically beautiful. Violet had always been jealous of girls like that, girls that take a picture and are effortlessly perfect; girls like Rose or Sally or Nadia, even Lily could manage it and only as a third year. Violets wide brown eyes ran over the page, it was a short article, what looked like a follow up to a previous one that had probably been in yesterday's newspaper, but only this one had been included. She began reading the article

_Hogwarts beauty queen Nadia Taylor (pictured above) has been reported missing by her father. But is she really? We at the prophet have reason to believe that the Hogwarts beauty has fled from a broken home and a ruined friendship and into a loving and convincing older boyfriends arms._

_As you know from the previous article Nadia Taylor has gone missing off Platform 9 3/4. Her father had come to pick up his daughter only to find she had already left. He had told the ministry she had gone missing, but is that the real story? Did a girl with a troubled life like Nadia's go missing, or did she runaway? I'm sure you ask what could be wrong with her life, beautiful, rich, popular, seemingly happy. But a lot goes on behind closed doors and plenty more than a lot went on behind Nadia's closed doors. And we found out thanks to an unnameable source._

_Nadia was born to a muggle father who struck it big in the muggle oil buisness and a pureblood mother trying to recover from the horrors of the second wizarding war. Nadia's mother had had a child with her father before Nadia; he was three years older than her and he died from drowning when he was only five and Nadia two. Nadia's mother heart-broken turned to alcohol and drugs trying to self medicate the severe depression she was battling, and her father immersed himself even more fully into his oil business. Nadia had not only lost her older brother at the age of two but also her parents. She was raised mainly by nannies until she hit eleven and then she moved on to Hogwarts._

_Hogwarts became a home for her, like so many other kids who come from a broken family. Nadia grew quickly and put on a brave face for the school while struggling with her identity and her family problems on the inside. Nadia befriended Melanie Charlotte and seemed content enough with her life. But once the final week of her sixth year came Melanie snapped. She couldn't stand the jealousy she felt of her so called "best friend" and abruptly ended their friendship. Nadia distraught turned to the only person she had left: her boyfriend._

_Her boyfriend was an older wizard already graduated from Hogwarts. A source close to Nadia said that Nadia was always getting letters from this boy and sneaking off Hogwarts grounds to meet him. Her boyfriends easily manipulated her into running away with him._

_So when the day came he was there ready, waiting to whisk her off to some foreign place and Nadia left with him leaving a hole in her loved one hearts. So please if you have any information on Nadia Taylor contact the ministry immediately._

Violet continued to stare at the article, a blank expression covering her face like a blanket. She read the article over and over as if at the end it would say just kidding Nadia is safe and sound at her home. But it didn't it just ended with the same word: Immediately. It's as if the word was mocking her; taunting her over the fact that it held a tone of finality that no one could change.

A breeze rushed around the room, bringing with it the smell of sweet French air that just seemed to smell sour in Violet's button nose. The breeze picked up the letter and swept it to the floor where it landed at Violets feet. Violet bent down and picked it up. The article had been from Albus. Before she began reading his letter she tucked the article into the cover of a thick book on her desk.

_Violet-_

_I just found out about the article this morning. Rose told me about it, she believes that whatever we saw the last night we were at Hogwarts took her. I sort of believe her too, but I'm not sure. Some of the article makes perfect sense, but then other parts don't. Like how they say she was taken from platform 9 3/4, but Melanie had been looking for her the morning we left, meaning she went missing that morning not when we got on the platform._

_James doesn't know what to make of any of this, and Lily overheard us talking about this and thinks we should tell dad. I sent a letter to Scorpius and Molly asking them, but I'm sure Molly already knows and probably sees the two as completely unrelated, as for Scorpius, well you never really know with him. But what do you think Vi? Should James and I tell my dad? Or should we keep it a secret until more information comes out?_

_Write back soon_

_-Al_

Violet let the letter slip out of her hand and float to the floor as she collapsed on the bed her hand gripping the banister. Nadia? Runaway? She had always been somewhat of a free spirit but would she really run away? And if she didn't would the monster even take her? COULD IT? Why would it in the first place? Violet rubbed her forehead as thoughts raced through her mind. The truth was she didn't know, she had no clue as to what happened with Nadia. From the article it seemed likely she ran away, but when Albus suggested the monster took her it also seemed likely. But why would it take her? Why why why? She is of no importance. Why not Albus or James or Lily? Why not the Ministers daughter? Nadia had no reason for anyone to want to kidnap her, of course she had people who didn't like her but _kidnap _her? Violet sighed roughly and stood up. How had her trip ended up like this? It was only the second week and already she was stressed out and worried.

Violet leaned over, grabbed the other letter, and opened it quickly; hoping it would take her mind off this.

_Vi!_

_Vi, its only been one week and I'm dying._

_I'm stuck in the stuffy Malfoy manor and my dad keeps trying to get me to hang out with his workmates kids. I'm pretty sure I have a date with some home-schooled girl this weekend. Apparently her dad didn't think the Hogwarts curriculum was hard enough so he decided to forgo Hogwarts. Maybe I'll get lucky and she'll be a "loosey-goosey" as you say._

_Oh yeah that's another thing. My Mum thinks my vocabulary isn't where it should be so now I have to take lessons from her every week. I've only been to one and I already think my head will explode from the sheer boredom. Sheer and Forgo, she doesn't seem to have any particular order of learning words to "expand" my vocabulary. It's like she draws them out of a hat and throws them at me. I learned more but I really can't be arsed to remember them. The only reason I remember those two is because one time I was with a girl and she told me her knickers were sheer which really stuck out for me but apparently the two have different meanings. And I just remembered forgo because I thought it was a weird word._

_You should see the homework I have to do, I asked Albus to do it for me but he just said no because "I could use the practice" that kids no fun I tell ya Vi. I'd ask you to do it but I figure you're probably going to end up doing my Hogwarts homework like you have for the past 3 years, so I don't want to put too much on you. Maybe Rosie will do it._

_Speaking of Rosie, she wrote me a letter the other day only to tell me how her date with Grant went and then she signed it "I hate you forever and we aren't mates -Rose." She's just messing with me of course, but that girl has a twisted sense of humor; she's absolutely mental. But get this Grant ended up spilling butterbeer all over Rosie so I don't think there will be a follow up date. Merlin, what a goon that kid is._

_Well my mum's coming to nag me about "expanding" my vocabulary. So I gotta go. Hell maybe if I show her this letter and she sees that I used forgo and sheer she'll let me _forgo_ the next lesson._

_Your knight in shining armor_

_-Scorpius_

_P.s did you get the pun in the last sentence_

_P.p.s also I dont think I'll be showing her this letter not exactly mother-friendly material if you know what I mean._

_P.p.p.s I forgot write back soon and I love and miss you_

Violet held the letter after she finished and re-read it a few more times. She hadn't realized how much she missed Scorpius' sense of humor until she was faced with a situation like the former and Scor defused it effortlessly. Violet sighed and folded the letter neatly. She calmly picked up Albus' letter and set both on top of the antique dresser. Violet flopped back down on the bed and drifted off with thoughts of Nadia and Scorpius' grammar lessons running through her head.

* * *

James sighed heavily and slid into his desk chair. He grabbed the Swiss knife he had knicker out of Filch's office his third year and started carving lines into the side of his desk. He had taken to the poor habit about the time when Violet first rejected him. It helped him let off steam. The only problem was the entire side of his desk was carved up since he never bothered to fix it. Ginny had come in once and chewed him out for ten minutes about not destroying property, but then Lily had started a fire in the downstairs bathroom and Ginny forgot all about it. So James sat there on a late Wednesday afternoon with the picture of Nadia running over and over in his mind while he carved lines into his already mutilated desk. It's ironic that a girl that was as easy as Nadia would be troubling him since the girl that was usually on his mind while he carved the lines was the exact opposite. James ran his hand roughly through his thick black hair. Nadia, man, if someone had told him that she would runaway or get kidnapped or whatever a year ago he would have told them they were bloody mental. Kidnapping hadn't happened since Voldemort fell and a girl as fit as Nadia would have no reason to run away. According to James if you were good looking, nothing else really mattered.

James went to his trunk and pulled out a sturdy piece of parchment. The parchment had yellowed, the corners had bent and it was ragged on the edges. It was once a fine piece of parchment but after the four years it had been in use it had lost its grandeur. The parchment was regular except for the fact that Louis had bewitched it so whoever had the other five pieces of matching parchement could communicate wih each other. To keep from discovery they each took on a nick name James Fred and Lorcan had each taken on their quidditch position, the keeper(James) the beater(Fred) and the chaser(Lorcan). Louis had decided on the scholar and Lysander had decided on the dreamer. The top of the page had James name, keeper, in looping handwriting. James pulled out a quill and began writing.

You lot read the news lately? James wrote. The ink James had used to write with fell into a puddle at the bottom of the page- someone was writing back.

The ink traveled back up the page forming the name the Scholar with the words Yes, I'm assuming you're referring to the Nadia news?" right beneath it.

The words beater appeared briefly before forming "Yeah I read about that, she ran away didn't she?"

Dreamer appeared "It's completely mental though, obviously the snagglerts got her"

Chaser appeared "Just ignore him Mum's been telling him stories again"

James stared at the paper unsure how to proceed.

"Why?" Louis

"Rose sent us a letter this morning. She thinks that Nadia was kidnapped by the same monster that saw us that night" James

"Why would she think that?" Fred

"I don't know the letter says she thinks Nadia wouldn't have a reason to run away because she's rich and pretty or something, but now Lily knows about what happened and she's bothering us about telling dad."

"How did Lily find out?" Lysander

"She was listening in when me and Albus were talking about Rose's letter" James

"If you ask me Rose just wants to stir something up Nadia probably did run away" Louis

"Yeah Rose has always done this stuff ever since we were kids" Fred

"I know but don't you think we should tell someone?"

"It's up to you James, your dad is the head of the Auror office he'll probably know best" Lysander

"You guys are no help" James

"Sorry James but Ive read the article, it seems pretty sound. I don't see why Nadia would be kidnapped that hasn't happened since our parents were our age. Just talk to your dad he'll know what to do, but this time let Albus do the talking, he's more believable" Louis

"Yeah yeah whatever" James

"You guys want to go to Diagon Alley, if I don't go somewhere Mums gonna make me help her clean. She says I'm in the way" Fred

"Can't, I have to stay with Al and Lily"

"Lysander and I are leaving for the states tomorrow so we have to pack"

"I'm going to France. Grabrielle is having her baby and Mum wants us all to be there"

"Great now I have to clean I hate you lot"

James sighed, and leaned back in his chair. He stared up at the ceiling fan and watched as it spun in circles. Did he really think Nadia had run away? He didn't know. Was he going to tell his dad? Questions like these kept running through James mind while he sat there. He didn't really know what he was thinking about. The longer he sat there the more vague the thoughts became until eventually they were just flashes of memories. The pain of his first broken limb, the rush of triumph after his first quidditch victory, the panic when he saw Lily fall out of the tree house, the taste of various girls lipgloss on his mouth, the feeling of Jennifer's or Rylie's or Kathy's or any of the numerous other girls naked bodies against his own. His memories shifted slowly from real life girls to fantasies about Violet. About the way her lips would taste, the way her skin would feel under his calloused hands, her moaning his name, her kissing his neck, her laughing at his jokes, until eventually it was just her. Just Violet Allender. Her smile, her dimpled cheeks, her long dark hair, her button nose, her petite frame, her laugh, her eyes when she's angry, the sound of her voice, the way her eyes flash when she sees him. Violet violet violet. James ran his hands angrily through his hair, he somehow always ended up on her, like every thought led back to her. She was the brilliant star which James thoughts circled around. James got up quickly before he could fall any deeper into the abyss that is Violet Allender. He grabbed his broom and rushed out of the room. He'd be dammed if he was going to spend his summer sulking in his room over a girl.

* * *

_Al-_

_Tell your dad. Better safe than sorry. Plus if it was this monster that took her then it's not going to go away over summer like we thought it would, it'll come back for more. If its not the monster that ended up taking her, you still discovered a new species and you can give the credit to Luna and let her claim she discovered another species, sort of like an early birthday present._

_I hope this blows over soon. It's stressing me out and I'm supposed to be on vacation for Merlin's sake! Other than that though, the vacation in France is fine though you didn't ask how it was going. I have to go , I'm watching Reneé's kids and theyre fighting like cats and dogs._

_I'll write you when I can_

_-Violet_

_Al-_

_You are being paranoid. There is no conceivable way a simple minded monster could kidnap a fully capable witch. Why would it kidnap a girl? Come to think of it why would a monster kidnap someone? Only people can kidnap. Monsters just eat people, well our monsters anyway. Plus there's plenty of dangerous creatures in the forbidden forest and most are probably more dangerous than what we saw yet no ones accusing those monsters of kidnapping. But this isn't the point, you need to stop listening to Rose. She's always told these kinds of stories since we were little, and it is summer so she's bored and wants to start up something entertaining. I say you and James keep quiet. They'll find Nadia within the next week a girl that simple-minded can't stay hidden for very long_

_-Molly_

_Al-_

_I don't really know what you should do. It's up to you really. Maybe I would tell him if I were you but then, if I were you and I told my dad, I would have a lot of explaining and meetings with the ministry to do. So maybe if I were you I wouldn't tell him. Maybe I would though. Who knows, just do what you think you should do._

_Anyways I've taken the liberty of sending the grammar homework my Mum assigned me. You should get crackin on that, it's due next Tuesday._

_Thanks in advance_

_-Scor_

Albus stared at the three letters on the table in front of him. One of them said no, one said yes, and one said do my homework. Albus needed a tie-breaker. He could count Rose's but she's the one that started this whole mess, and to be completely honest he didn't really trust Rose's instinct. But if he didn't trust her instinct then why was he getting involved in this mess? Why would he go through all this trouble when he had never listened to Rose's stories before? Maybe it was because this one may actually be true, or maybe it was because Albus had become a lot easier to trick than before. Either way Albus was to far in now to get out.

Albus got up and began pacing around the living room. He watched his bare feet go up as they left the carpet and back down to meet the carpet all the while thinking of whether to side with Violet and Rose or Molly.

He thought back on all the stories Rose had told him when he was a child. They were always harmless, she just wanted to stir up temporary drama, nothing major; just enough to keep things interesting. Unlike James', who's stories, when convincing enough, seemed to send everyone into a panic. She had never made a story up that could be this important- it was on too big a scale for Rose. So either James was influencing her too much, or Rose truly believed what she wrote. Which if she did then Violet agreed with her, and Violet has always told what she believed to be true- she was never one for telling stories unless she was reading them aloud from a book. So Rose and Violet truly believed that the Monster took Nadia, but the question was, were they right?

And what if they weren't? Then that would mean Molly had been right, and he had just set the ministry in a panic because of a silly story. Was Molly right? She was logical, that's how she had landed in Ravenclaw, she followed her brain the way Rose follows her heart- religiously. Her logic had led her to the conclusion the two were unrelated events. Molly was rarely wrong; she was brilliant. Her logic was almost fool-proof and Albus had always made sure to listen to her. That is until he is posed with believing two people he would trust with his life and a girl who had never led him astray. Rose and Violet or Molly? Which one would he believe?

Albus sat back down on the couch and put his head in his hands. He began rubbing his eyes roughly. He didn't know what to do. Why couldn't he be his father, the guy who always knew what to do. His father always made the right decisions when he was Albus' made. Albus cursed the fact that he was born without his father's intuition.

"Al?" Al glanced up to see his younger sister standing in the doorway uncertainly.

"Hey Lily,"

"What's wrong?"

Albus sighed "Lily if you were in my position what would you pick?"

"The right one," Lily said confidently.

"But what if you don't know if there's a right one Lily? What if they're both wrong? How can you tell?"

"You can't Al, that's the thing. You just pick, and you find out in the end, that's life," Lily reached out and squeezed Albus' hand, "you'll pick right Albus, you always do in the end."

Albus looked up at his younger sister. When had she become wise? She gave him a half smile and walked out of the room toward the staircase. He shook his head and looked at the letters. He pulled them all together into a neat pile and folded them so they could fit in his pocket. Albus scratched his forehead and walked down to the hall to his room. He knew what he would do, but would James agree?

* * *

"Victoire! Hurry up!" Louis shouted up the stairs of shell cottage at Victoire. She had, as girls tend to do, waited until the last minute to make sure everything she wanted was packed. She was fluttering around Fleur's room like a hummingbird.

Louis and his family were going to France for the next few weeks since their aunt is about to give birth to their first cousin on their mothers side of the family. Louis had been packed and ready for the last two days. It's not like he had much to pack though, enough clothes to last two weeks, toothbrush deodorant, boxers, the usual. Victoire on the other hand seemed to need her entire closet, every pair of shoes she owned, and enough perfume to drown in. And with all the packing Victoire did at her and Teddy's flat, it had somehow slipped her mind to pick out an "arrival outfit". Something Louis was sure she made up but she insisted she didn't and claimed she didn't have time for his questions. Which led her to looking around their mum's room for something to wear.

His mother, Fluer, and his father, Bill, had left a few hours earlier to pick up their sister Dominique from

Beauxbotons where she just got let out. Dominique had been the only one of the three children to pick Beauxbaton. She said it sounded better to her than Hogwarts, but Louis knew it was because she didn't want to live in the Weasley-Potter clan shadow. Dominique looked much like Victoire, except she kept her hair in a short bob, wore less makeup, and was about three inches shorter. Dominique was also more sweet-tempered and kind than Victoire, but boy if you got her angry you were in for it. Louis had always stuck to Dominique as a kid, she was easy to get along with and they were closer in age; also they shared common interests unlike Victoire, who's only interests seemed to be boys and mirrors.

Louis checked his watch, half past four. They were supposed to have left half an hour ago. They were supposed to meet their parents at Gabrielle's at 4:00 but at the rate Victoire was going they wouldn't get there until 6.

"Teddy, can you do something?" Louis asked the blue haired boy sitting at the table.

"Sorry mate, there's no point in telling Vic to hurry she only takes longer. She told me she was ready back at the flat, wonder what she's doing," Teddy scratched his head and looked up at the ceiling where he could hear his girlfriend moving quickly across the floor.

"She told me she was pick an 'arrival outfit'," Louis said

"Hmph, well that's Vic for ya. One time Vic and I had dinner reservations for our two year anniversary at that nice restaurant in Diagonal Alley, The Golden Dragon, and Vic ended up taking so long getting ready we missed our reservations. It was ok though, she made up for it that ni-" Teddy seemed to realise who he was talking to and cleared his throat, "Err um never mind. So Louis you got a girlfriend?"

Louis watched Teddy for a bit before answering, "No, to much trouble."

"Ahh they aren't that bad. They're real fun to have around if you actually like them."

"Well all the girls I know are airheads and the ones that are smart, are either related to me or not my type," Louis looked at his watch again. What the bloody hell takes that girl so long?

"Nah, I'm sure there's some girl you'll like soon enough. After all James used to tell me that he thought girlfriends were a hassle and now look where he is-chasing after a girl," Teddy smiled and leaned back in his chair a bit.

"Yeah one who hates him." Louis said with a laugh

"True, but James tells me she's smart AND pretty AND fun," Teddy raised his eyebrows.

"Well she somewhat is I suppose, but she's more like Molly you know, all rules and regulations, never any fun. I don't get why James likes her, but I don't really get James. He's crazy over her and she's indifferent to him, so I'm still right, girlfriends are to much trouble." Teddy just smirked at Louis. He got up and ruffled his hair.

"Little Louis, never any imagination," with that Teddy walked to the stairs and took them two at a time.

Louis sat and picked at the table waiting for Victoire and Teddy to come down. Just because Louis didn't want a girlfriend didn't mean he didn't want a girl. It just meant he didn't want a permanent one. Louis liked the girls, just ones that after you snogged in a broom closet left you alone. Nothing more, nothing less. He liked an easy girl, that was smart enough to know when she was unwanted, but isn't that what all boys wanted. Except James- and Albus, but Louis suspected he was gay. Maybe someday if a girl comes along that has a brain and beauty and a good sense of humour then Louis will think about a relationship. But let's face it that girl doesn't exist and Louis isn't looking very

hard. Louis just liked books and spending time with his friends, with the occasional quickie, anything more and it would mess up the balance of his life. Which, balance was something everyone needed.

Louis heard the stairs creek five minutes later and turned to face his sister and Teddy.

"Well I'm ready, lets go," Victoire hopped down the steps with Teddy trailing behind her his hair gone from cyan blue to a deep shade of red. Louis had a clue what they were doing up there, but hopefully he was wrong. Unfortunately Louis was rarely wrong, so the odds weren't in his favor.

"Finally Vic. Let's get out of here," Louis got up and followed the two through the fireplace and to their Aunt Gabrielle's.

* * *

"Dominique! You need to see zees!"

Dominique lifted her blonde head up from the fashion magazine she'd been reading to look at her very pregnant aunt.

"Yes auntie?" Dominique said, a faint french accent tracing her words.

"It's a peecture of you at beauxbatons! There must have been a reeporter or somezeeng!"

Dominique looked over her aunts shoulder at the picture she was pointing to in the newspaper. In it was a girl laughing at whatever she was seeing. She had a wide smile open with a breathless laugh on her pretty face and her hair was being blown by a small breeze along with her Beauxbatons skirt. Dominique remembered when it had been taken. It was during the cultural day fair at beauxbatons and she was watching her friend Mayella dance the salsa with her long time crush. Mayella had been so distracted she had fallen off the stage. She smiled fondly at the memory.

"Yes, it was cultural day, a reporter came to do an article on it. He interviewed Arabella I think it's down here," Dominique said in a soft voice, her hand on Gabrielle's shoulder.

"Oh how wonderful!" Gabrielle said then flipped the page. Dominique walked away, grabbing her magazine and heading softly up the stairs.

She had been staying with her aunt since she got out of Beauxbatons. Her mother and father were supposed to be coming today with Victoire and Louis, they were going to stay here in France until her aunt have birth. Dominique sighed contently, she ran her hand down her plush bed covers, she hadn't seen her family since Christmas break and she missed them terribly, even Victoire.

Dominique sat down softly on the bed and stared out the window her wide baby blue eyes breathing in the beautiful French landscape. Sometimes she regretted going to Beauxbatons, she never saw her family, save for school breaks, but moments like this when it was just her and nature, the fresh air, she knew she made the right choice. A tough one, but the right one. Dominique tucked her short hair behind her ear and walked back down stairs. Her family would be there any minutes, and she had big news to tell them.

* * *

"Bill! Let's go!" Fleur commanded her husband.

"Fleur, calm down its fine, the kids probably haven't even left yet, this is Victoire we're talking about,"

"Yes Bill but Victoire said she had big news for all of us and I don't want to miss it,"

Bill walked up to Fleur and kissed her softly on the lips, "She won't tell it with out you, now calm down, I'm almost done,"

Fleur sighed against Bill's lips, "Hurry, please," she said in a calmer tone, a smile turning up the corners of her lips.

Bill turned back to the desk where he had been fiddling with a remote control car. He had taken the car apart and was working on putting it back together. Bill's interest in muggle contraptions had been growing lately with his promotion to Vice of Muggle Relations in the Ministry of Magic. Much to his fathers elation.

He and Fleur were supposed to have left to Gabrielle's 30 minutes ago, but when Fleur came to Bill's office, she was already late by 15 minutes and Bill had stalled her for 15 more minutes trying to put back this muggle contraption.

"There done, lets go lovely," Bill grabbed Fleur's delicate hand in his and, with a bang, vanished from his office to France-the land of love and his breathtaking wife Fleur.

* * *

"Auntie! We're here!" Victoire sang, "and we brought someone! Dom?" Victoire slipped her hand from Teddy's and walked to the living room, Teddy and Louis trailing her. Victoire's heart was pounding, her mind running over and over the same things. Her "big" news. Big wasn't nearly what this news was. This news was amazing ground-breaking, earth-shattering, this news was the biggest thing to ever happen to her in her life. To call it simply "big" news is to do an injustice to this news. Victoire felt a chill of excitement run through her as she crossed the threshold into the kitchen. She slipped her hand back into her perfect boyfriend and gave him a perfect smile. Her news, his news, their news. New. News. News.

Teddy caught her smiling at him and turned and smiled back at her. God she loved him. Had she ever truly loved before Teddy? She didn't think so. Every relationship she had had before Teddy seemed ridiculous and insignificant. She squeezed his hand and continued her hunt for her aunt and sister her thoughts of Teddy drifting to things that ought not to be written about.

"Vic? Louis?" Dominique's blonde head appeared over the railing a brilliant smile lighting up her face. She turned and rushed down the stairs.

"Dom!" Victoire hurried to meet her, with Louis following.

"Oh Vic! I've missed you so much can you believe it?" Dominique said as she sqeeuzed Victoire into a bone crushing hug.

"Dominique stand back let me get a look at you," Victoire stood back her hands on Dominique's shoulders. Dominique had grown a few inches and had thinned out.

"Oh dommy, you've gotten so beautiful!"

Dominique just smiled and turned to Louis.

"Louis," She hugged him and ruffled his hair, "you're taller than me now Louis."

"Yeh, I hit my growth spurt I guess," Louis smiled at Dominique, "I missed you Dom,"

Dominique smiled at him and pulled him in for another hug, "I missed you too Louis, how's the Rogues still causing trouble for the headmaster?"

Louis snorted, "Of course, but it's not hard to anger the headmaster, he's a real git. He gave James and I a detention for being to loud in the hallway in front of his office,"

"James told me about that. Said you guys had to clean out Hippogruff dung from the cage Hagrid keeps em' in," Teddy added.

"Yeh it was the worst detention I'be ever had," Louis said

"Teddy! I didn't know you were coming!"

"What miss a chance to see your beautiful face Dom? Wouldn't dream of it," Teddy said as they hugged.

"Dommy, where is Auntie and Uncle?" Victoire asked.

"And Mum and Dad, are they here yet?" Louis added

"Uncle's at work, Auntie went upstairs to take a nap fifteen minutes ago and no Mum and Dad aren't here, which is weird they're usua-" Dominique was cut off by a bang and her moms bell-like laugh.

"Mum! Dad!" Dominique ran to her parents and pulled them into a bone crushing hug. Bill chuckled and smoothed her hair down before he kissed her on the head.

"How have you been princess?"

Dominique laughed breathlessly "Oh wonderful! You'll never guess I have the best news-"

"Oh that reminds me! Victoire what's your news?" Victoire looked up from her conversation with Teddy at her mum. She had a goofy smile on her pretty face from the dirty joke Teddy had just told her. She slipped her tiny hand into his strong one and squeezed lightly before she pulled him along to her mum; giving him a smile of encouragement which sent his heart racing for a million different reasons.

"We're going to wait until everyone's here, Dommy when will Uncle Ryan be home?"

"Any minute now, Mum you should go wake up Auntie," Dominique nodded towards the stairs as she said this and squeezed her dads hand.

"Dad, you'll never guess what happened at school! You'll never ever guess!" Dominique hopped up and down. She was giddy from seeing her family, she had missed them all so much, especially Louis and her dad. She had always been closer with Louis and everyone knew she was a daddy's girl.

"Hold on before you tell us about school why don't we all unpack first huh?" Bill gave Dominique a smile and mused her hair before picking up his suitcase and walking up the stairs; the whole family following his lead.

* * *

Louis sat quietly on the couch, listening to the stream of words falling from Dominique's mouth. Listening wouldn't really be right, listening implies that he's actually thinking about what she was saying. He seemed to just hear the sound of Dominique's voice. A soft voice, almost a whisper, her voice seemed to perfectly parallel her personality. Louis got to thinking as he sat on a couch in France on a Wednesday evening. Maybe everyone's voice matched their personality, Lysander's was dreamy like he was; Lorcan's had a sharp tone to it- almost an impatient one- like his personality; Fred's was loud and taunting, much like Fred and James was of course Arrogant and loud. Louis wondered what his voice sounded like to other people, he hoped it sounded brave and intelligent, like his Dads. He really hoped he had a voice like his Dads. Strong and unafraid. Louis knew he didn't though, he had a voice like Louis' and his dad had a voice like his dad's.

Louis looked down at his hands. He heard Dominique say something about embassador. He vaguely wondered what she was talking about, but a hang nail on his pinky finger distracted him. He needed to remember to cut that. Louis was bored to say the least. He had been sitting here for an hour waiting for his uncle to get back from work. He had been caught up at the office, something about the author's book he had published being banned in Austria. Louis didn't really know, he hadn't been listening. It all resulted in, though, Victoire delaying her announcement until his uncle got home. Louis wasn't anxious like his mother, or annoyed like Dominique, he already knew the announcement. He wasn't the top of his class for nothing after all. He had figured it out when Victoire had said our and looked over at Teddy.

Louis sighed and slid deeper into his seat. He had already caught up with his family, well as much as you could for his standards. Louis was usually more involved with the family during reunions but he wasn't feeling it today. Maybe it was the news about Nadia, probably. She had been an old flame of his, nothing serious, just a couple quickies in an abandoned class room or broom closet. He wondered where she was, he hoped she had run away, he hoped but he knew she hadn't. Nadia wasn't very bright but she wasn't that dumb, she wouldn't run away knowing she had no where to go, and no one to take care of. He knew she had no boyfriend to flee to, she would have told everyone if she did have one. Nadia hadn't run away, Louis knew this but he pretended he didn't to comfort himself. Each time he thought it, Nadia ran away, he felt the knot in his chest ease a little. He began saying it over and over in his mind until he even began to believe it, foolishly so.

Louis heard his uncles voice as he came into the room; he saw everyone get up to rush and hug him, and he did too. He heard his uncle tell the news about what happened. He heard Victoire's annoucment. He was right, she was enhanced to Teddy, they were to be wed next summer. He heard his Mum's squeal of joy his fathers laugh, he heard the congratulations, and he too said congratulations.

Louis was in a trance, everything seemed so surreal to him, Nadia's family was mourning her, and yet, his family was jumping up with elation, the eldest of the Potter-Weasley clan was marrying someone; not just anyone either, Teddy, the child everyone loved as their son because he had no parents. Louis was caught up in memories and thoughts of Nadia, she had been so sweet, why her? Louis was getting confused as he thought about it, about her. She was smart, she wouldn't run, but who would kidnap her, the monster wasn't smart enough to kidnap a witch as capable as Nadia. Was it? No it wasn't, of course not. But maybe? Louis scratched his neck, leaving a deep red mark. He was thinking to fast, his head was spinning, he needed to sit. Louis often thought like this, he thought himself crazy, his friends knew how to pull him out of it, but alone all Louis could do was think and think until he went crazy. He didn't need to sit, he realised, he needed to move, Louis didn't think anyone would notice if he was gone, they were caught up in Victoire, they were always caught up in Victoire, everyone was. Louis went into the kitchen and wrote a quick note telling them he was going to get ice cream. Louis grabbed his jacket and left.

The sweet French breeze blew into Louis face blowing back his shaggy hair. Louis brushed it back, he really needed to get a haircut. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe.

"Louis! Louis wait!" Louis head lifted up and he turned around, his older sister Dominique was running to catch up with him. Dominique was making quick steps, her hands tucked into her jacket pockets to keep them warm. She had a small smile on her face and rosy cheeks, she had been laughing at something before she left. Louis wondered what.

"Louis," Dominique breathed, she slipped her arm into his and fell into step with him.

"Dom," Louis nodded at her. She was still smiling, she always was. Louis wondered if it was because she was always happy, or if it was just a habit, he hoped it was the former. He truly did. Louis loved his sister, she was his best friend, along with the Rogues, but he worried about her when she was gone; he worried that she was lonely at Beauxbatons. He couldn't help it she was his sister.

"Louis what's wrong?" Dominique asked.

Louis sighed and shrugged his shoulders. What would he tell her? About the monster? About the missing girl? He supposed he could, but right now, he didn't feel like going through the trouble, "Nothing, I don't know not nothing. I'm just thinking to much you know. Do you ever do that? You think about one thing and it lead to another and another and you just can't stop thinking. It happens to me all the time."

Dominique looked at him with her wide un-judging blue eyes, "No I don't, but maybe it's because I'm not as smart as you you know?"

"Don't say that you're brilliant Dom,"

"But not as brilliant as you," she didn't say this accusingly or bitter, she was simply stating a fact. It was like saying kittens have fur, one couldn't get mad at that.

"Well I think you're brilliant Dom."

"Thanks Louis."

They walked in silence, save for the sound of their shoes on the pavement and their cold breaths. The city lights of France lit up their faces, making the pedestrians on the street stop and stare at their inhuman beauty. They were Veelas after all, if only 1/16. They were headed to the ice cream shop, which Louis prayed was still open. He didn't know how long French shops stay open; well he did, but he always forgot.

"Hey Louis," Dom turned to him.

"Hmm?" He said absent mindedly.

"The ice cream shops over there," Dom pointed back a couple stores across the street. He hadn't even noticed. He laughed with her as he crossed the street.

* * *

Violet crossed the street. She was headed to get ice cream, Reneé and the family had all gone out to dinner but Violet wasn't in the mood with what had just turned up. They had left her money in case she wanted to get something, and Violet had later decided that she was, in fact, hungry. Violet roamed the streets of France clearing her mind and trying to find somewhere to eat.

Violet saw a flash of blonde walking into an ice cream shop that caught her eye. She thought she was mistaken, but still she crossed the street and headed toward where she had seen the blonde head enter. Violet pushed open the bright red door; sending a bell tinkling. The blonde head was standing next to another blonde head, but this one was a girl and what looked like his sister.

"Louis?" Violet walked up behind them; her heart pounding, what luck! Louis!

Louis turned around, an expression of faint confusion which turned to surprise, "Violet, what are you doing here?" Louis pulled her in for a hug, to which she gladly accepted.

"I'm with my family friend Reneé this summer. What about you?"

"My aunt on my mum's sides having a baby, so we're here until then," Dominique coughed politely and then smiled at Violet.

"Oh right, Violet this is my older sister Dom, Dom this is Violet, she's a year below me at Hogwarts," Dom shook Violet's hand, her eyebrows raised.

"Lovely to meet you, so you're James Violet I presume?" Dominique said politely, unaware to Violet's darkening expression.

"No, I'm not, nor will I ever be James' Violet," Violet said disdainfully.

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean to offend, it's just the way he speaks of you I assumed," Dominique smiled apologetically.

"It's perfectly fine, it's not your fault Potter's a git, how come I've never met you? I thought I knew all the Weasley-Potter clan,"

"I decided to go to Beauxbatons instead of Hogwarts. Most people are surprised when they find out about me," Dominique laughed sweetly.

"Violet, where's the family you're staying with?" Louis asked her.

"They went out to dinner, but I didn't feel like going after what happened," Violet gave him a knowing look. Dominique looked at them suspiciously.

"Yeah I know," Louis said solemnly.

"What happened?" Dominique said curiously.

"Umm nothing Dom, I'll tell you when we get home," Louis hushed her, "Violet we have to go, it was nice seeing you,"

"Violet give me your address you should come over for dinner sometime," Dominique said.

Violet quickly wrote down her address and handed it to Dominique who gave her a quick hug and followed Louis who gave Violet a wave and a smile which sent her heart pounding. Maybe this summer wouldn't be as terrible as it began.

* * *

**I know, I know. I'm a terrible horrible, horrible person. I took forever to post this, I don't even want to look at how long it took me. Also I started writing in the form of letters, but it just wasn't working for m, so I wrote it like i usually do, the changing point of views. This chapter really did not want to be written. But the next chapter will hopefuly be up sooner. I'd lie and say that school started and got in the way, but let';s be honest we all know that's a lie. Well anyway Reviews are my life, and flamers are welcomed, as long as it's constructive criticism. Tell your friends, tell your mom, heck even tell our principal about this story, but only if you want to! I'll try to write the next chapter sooner! I love you followers, reviewers and favoriters!**

**-Posies**


	5. Part 1

The tawny owl sat in silence. Its large eyes followed its master as he paced back and forth along the heavy carpet. The owl's pupils enlarged as the giant yellow orb slipped behind the horizon and a pure white orb replaced it. The roomed darkend, but the owl could still clearly see the dark decor of the room and the only two other occupants- its owner and a gruesome looking creature that the owl had seen a few times before. The owls knowing eyes watched carefully as the owner sealed an envelope with crimson wax and strutted up to the black owl.

"Head of Auror's office."

With that the owl was out of the cold, dark room and into the colder and darker night.

* * *

The door to Harry's office creaked loudly as he opened it. Harry dropped his jacket and briefcase on the magnificent looking oak desk while he slumped into his chair. He glanced down at the top of his desk and was surprised to see a deep read envelope with a seal on it. HEAD OF AUROR'S HARRY JAMES POTTER was written in gold script over the back of the letter. He slipped his finger under the tab and popped it open. Harry pulled the stiff parchment out and unfolded it. Written in a peculiar red ink was:

Harry Potter;

I'm sure you are wondering who I am, or perhaps where this letter came from. Most likely, though, you are wondering why me, a stranger, is writing to the most important man in the wizarding world. Well Mr. Potter all in due time.

I am sure that you are aware of the headlines in our informative newspaper lately no? Of the girl, the tiny redhead who looks so like your daughter and the daughter of our oh-so-insightful Minister, disappearance? Peculiar circumstances seem to apply to her situation. I seem to remember her father claiming she's kidnapped yet the paper is convinced she has runaway. I wonder how your Auror department is treating this unusual happening.

Of course I'm sure you Auror's would be thrilled to learn more information about it. Information that I will be providing.

Nadia Taylor's father was correct, she has been kidnapped. She was taken off the Hogwarts grounds the morning they were to head home. And she will remain missing unless I receive what I want. Attached are two letters, the first is to be sent to Nadia's father unopened. The second is to be sent to Daily Prophet for publication on the front page of tomorrow's newspaper. If either letter is opened before they reach their destinations it will be at Nadia's expense. The safety of the girl lies in balance. Her wand is attached- I am not bluffing.

Yours Sincerely

H.

Harry stared unbelieving at the letters, his mouth agape. His glasses slipped down his nose, blurring the fine cursive the letter was written in. He glanced at his desk; a small thin parcel was lying on top of two smaller letters. One letter had a large one in the bottom right corner while the other held a two in the bottom left corner. Harry slipped the letters into his robes and walked swiftly out of his office dodging people's gazes and slipping between groups as quickly as he could with out drawing attention. He rushed into the emptying elevator shoving people out of his way and receiving dirty looks. He pressed a button and the elevator was off jerking him to and fro as it usually does. This time though, rather than ignore it he seemed fixated on the jerking as it interrupted his thoughts.

Nadia was kidnapped and she- jerk- letters need to be publish- jerk- not since Voldemort- jerk- Minister Enwright must know- Nadia- jerk Demands- jerk. The elevator halted and Harry calmed himself down, he couldn't rush into his boss's office in a panic. Harry walked to the minister's office while nodding at people in the corridor he passed.

"Harry!" Harry turned and saw his red headed best friend rushing towards him.

"Ron, I can't talk I need to speak to the minister about something important,"

"Well I hope that important matter can wait because we have a meeting with the press on Nadia's disappearance," when Ron caught the look on Harry's face he hastily added, "look I know it's the last thing you want to do right now, but you just have to answer four or five questions and say that there is no evidence that points to her kidnapping or a new dark group of wizards rising. It's a quick thing thirty minutes at the most."

"Postpone it,"

"I can't mate; all the reporters are here already,"

"We'll then you do it Ron, I really need to speak with the minister,"

"Harry you're the head of Auror's they want you to do it."

"Listen Ron, I can't. I, there's been some new information discovered pertaining to Nadia. If I told them anything it could be subject to change with this information, I need to see the minister. You have to cancel the meeting," Harry placed his hands on Ron's shoulders and looked him square in the eyes, "please Ron,"

"Alright I'll see what I can do, but the press won't be happy,"

"Thanks mate,"

Ron gave Harry a nod.

"The things I do for a friend," Ron said as Harry rushed past a group of wizards disappearing altogether.

"Come in," Minister Enwright droned to the person knocking on his door. Minister Enwright held the innate ability to convey complete boredom and disinterest when it came to his job. Of course this was simply the opposite, of all the ministers to serve for the past century he was the most compassionate (next to Shaklebolt who had only retired a few years prior). Minister Enwright came to be the minister after he served under Shaklebolt for the past eight or seven years, he was a clear favorite for the job. Enwright, though being a rather shy, didn't accept the position for a few months. It caused quite a debacle in the ministry.

"Sir," the Head of Auror's nodded to the minister as he walked in.

"Potter, how have you been?" Enwright said getting up and shaking his hand.

"Very well sir, thank you,"

"And the family? I hope they're all well,"

"They're doing very well sir. I-"

"Aren't you supposed to be in a press conference?"

"No sir I had to cancel it, that's what I needed to speak to you about,"

"Oh? Have a seat Mr. Potter, I'm all ears," Minister Enwright watched the way Harry jerkily pulled out the chair and quickly say. Whatever news Harry had, it was not good news.

"Sir, a letter came this morning. Nadia did not runaway, she was kidnapped."

"Do you have the letter with you?"

"Yes, here," Harry slid the envelope across the desk to the minister. He rubbed his hand nervously down the side of his slacks as he watched the ministers grey eyes scan the letter.

The minister sighed and set the letter down. He looked at Harry eyebrows raised as he rubbed his mouth as if to say "what now?" Harry looked at the minister waiting for him to come up with a solution.

"Sir,"

"I don't know Potter. Do you have the other letters? Her wand?"

Harry slid the other two envelopes to the minister with the wand resting on top. The minister studied the wand with a frown. His old hand spun the stick between his fingers as if Nadia had carved her name into it.

"It's an Ollivander wand. We can call and ask him to identify it-"

"There's no time for that. Call a meeting Mr. Potter, the top two men in your branch. I'll contact the others,"

"The time, Sir?"

"Set the meeting at one, we'll decide what to do with this then."

Harry nodded at the minister and left his office.

The minister spun around in his chair, rubbing his head, "the first kidnapping since the fall of Voldemort- what does this mean?"

* * *

Dominique, Louis and Violet sat on a grand staircase over an equally as grand doorway. Louis had set up what he claimed to be the perfect prank, to be pulled on his darling older sister and her fiancé. Dominique was only going along with it out of boredom and Violet out of infatuation. The three had become close since their chance meeting a week before. Violet was thrilled with this, just her and Louis, no Potter to interfere. Louis on the other hand just felt guilty when he looked at her. He had yet to tell James that Violet was staying in the same town as him and that they hung out consistently for the past week- with Dominique of course. Louis didn't know why he couldn't bring himself to tell James, he usually shared everything with him, and something like the girl James is obsessed with would definitely qualify as a secret to share. Louis shook his head at himself and focused on the prank at hand.

"This is a bad idea Louis, I don't think we should be doing this," Violet looked at Louis face wearily and glanced down at the string he wanted her to hold. She had never been one for pranks, especially since they were one of James favorite things, and Violet had decided long ago that anything James loved was immature and pointless. Dominique nodded in agreement with Violet, she was always up for a good prank, but a prank on Victoire never ended well for anyone.

"Guys- Girls trust me. I have this one planned out perfectly, please," Louis begged Violet and Dominique.

Violet sighed, only for Louis.

"Awesome," Louis flashed her his winning smile and Violet's felt a blush run up her cheeks. She quickly looked away.

"Anyways, the plan is when Teddy and Victoire walk in, being nauseatingly affectionate as always, Violet you pull the string which unloads the powder on them. Then you, Dom, pull your string which unloads the potion on them-"

"What happens when they combine?" Dominique asked, lightly tugging on her string.

"Well the first time we did it to Molly and Jonathan at Hogwarts, it just made their skin a sickly shade of green and made them sticky. But I've worked on it since then and hopefully it will put an end to their affectionate ways, but you have to make sure to get it only on Victoire and Teddy. Merlin knows we could use a snog-free day in this household."

"Why are the powder and potion separate?" Violet asked.

"Because when they combine the odor they give off is what makes people disgusted, so if they were together then we would all hate each other. Anyways, as the plan goes after we dump the stuff on them they stop touching each other and snogging at every chance, and if we're lucky it will turn their skin green."

"Louis this sounds like a very bad idea," Dominique tried to tell him.

"No no don't worry, no one even cared at Hogwarts. We were all so sick of Jonathan and Molly that everyone was happy."

"But it didn't work at Hogwarts, Louis."

"Trust me Dominique we won't get in trouble. Violet trusts me, don't you?"

Violet nodded eagerly at the handsome blonde.

"See? We're fine. Violet is willing to do it and she never pulls pranks back at hogwarts," Louis peeked around the corner.

"Louis why aren't you pulling a string?" Violet asked.

"I never pull the strings when I do pranks, I just make them up. Ok they're coming! Ready?"

Violet and Dominique looked at each other wearily.

"Doesn't matter, you already have the strings." Louis watched eagerly as he saw his sister golden hair and Teddy's currently brown hair approach. Louis started whispering a countdown

"Five." Victoire laughs at something Teddy says.

"Four." Teddy grabs the bag Victoire is holding and spins her around.

"Three." The couple approaches the door.

"Two." The knob twists.

"One!" Violet and Dominique yank their strings.

Louis face broke into a brilliant smile when he heard his eldest sisters shriek.

"BLUGH!" Victoire cried looking at the slimy green liquid covering her body. Her eyes traveled down her arm and up to the person pulling her hand. Victoire had never seen someone so disgusting in her life. She began to gag as she yanked her hand out of his and backed away. What had she been thinking when she said yes to him? His hair was blue for Agrippa's sake! Victoire kept shooting him disgusted glances, Teddy Lupin what was she thinking? This was the kid who died her skin red for an entire week because he thought she wasn't showing enough Gryffindor spirit.

By the look of Teddy, his thoughts were going in the same direction, except he would glance at her and feel disgusted but then her Veela would kick in and he'd start telling himself it wasn't that bad.

Victoire shook her head at herself and saw the green droplets hit the white tile. Green was never her color, that's why she never dated a Slytherin.

"LOUIS!"

"Success!" Louis said from the stair case above the couple.

"Louis!?" Victoire ran to the stairs, "You're going to pay for this!" Victoire began sprinting up the stairs two at a time.

"Run!' The three perpetrators were up and running down the hall within a second. There was another stair case at the back of the house and if they were quick enough they could escape out the back. Louis lead the way with Dominique bringing up the rear, panting. Violet's dark brown hair was falling out of its pony tail and smacking her in the face.

"Louis! Stop running! I'm going to murder you!" Victoire's demonic shouts were enough to spur them on even faster. Violet turned back to find Dominique gone.

'Louis! Dominique!" Violet stopped and panted.

"No time, she's on her own!" Louis grabbed Violet's hand and pulled her with him. They hit the stairs and pounded down them. Louis and Violet burst out of the back door. Violet stopped and tried to catch her breath.

"Not safe yet," Louis said and grabbed her hand once again. He led her out his aunt's back yard and into the brilliant summer day. Louis smiled and began laughing, letting go of Violet's small hand to place his own hands on his knees. Violet watched him silently, save for the sound of her breaths. What a weird creature this boy was, how he went from scared to absolutely jovial within such a short time was beyond her. She smiled at him as he continued laughing.

Louis got up and placed his hands in his short's pockets, and Violet clasped hers behind her back. The breeze lifted up her red summer dress and blew the escaped strands out of her face. Her bright blue eyes were watching Louis as she followed him from behind. Violet ran and caught up with him.

"Hey Louis," Violet bumped into him lightly.

"Yeah?" Louis murmured, shooting her a sideway glance. The breeze blew his blonde hair out of his face and Violet smiled when she saw him looking at her.

"What happened to Dominique? Do you think Victoire will take her anger out on her?"

"She probably slipped into a room to hide from Victoire; she always used to do that when we were little. We'd both do something bad and run away and she would just duck under a bush and I would get in trouble for it. Merlin that used to make me so mad. But no, Victoire thinks it was me, so I doubt she'll blame Dom for it. Don't worry about it."

Louis slipped his arm around Violet's shoulders and gave her a reassuring squeeze. Violet's pulse jumped when he touched her, if only he liked her the same way Potter did. They walked in silence looking at the people pass by. To a stranger it would appear that the two were a couple vacationing in France for the summer, but in actuality Violet didn't know what they were. She knew what she wanted them to be- a couple- but she didn't know what they were. She liked to think that Louis secretly liked her but wouldn't tell her because of Potter. Maybe he did for all she knew. All she knew was that he hadn't talked to her about Potter once this summer, which was nice. They were friends she supposed; after all only friends could walk in the same comfortable silence the two were walking in.

Violet sighed and pulled his hand off her shoulder, "Come on."

* * *

"Dammit!" James through down the device he had been messing with angrily. Laughter from the patio of the Potter Manor answered his frustrations.

The Potter kids, joined by Rose, Hugo, Scorpius, Fred and the Scamander twins were all sitting around a large table, relishing in the good weather they were having. Rose was leaned in towards Lysander laughing excessivley at every joke he would make, and Scorpius was watching, annoyed by her irritating laugh. Occasionally he would turn to Albus and try and slip his homework his Mum assigned him under his pencil. Albus however just swept it off the table and onto the ground and continued writing his letter to Violet. Lorcan and Fred were goofing off, trying to pull off some stunt they claimed they perfected the last time they were together. Hugo and Lily were inside with Ginny, the two of them usually kept to their own devices.

Fred had found an old box of prototype fireworks of his fathers. Somehow he managed to sneak it in the Potter household which was a miracle in and of itself what with Ginny present and all. Ginny had taken to what she called prank-proofing the house, which involved elaborate jinxes to foil any and all of James plans, much to James frustration. She had of course not told James she had done this, because then what would be the fun; this lead to James being caught for every prank he attempted this summer. James usually ended up thinking he needed to be quieter, and stealthier, but of course Ginny would catch him. To say James was frustrated would be an understatement. So I'm sure, one could imagine the excitement experienced when Fred pulled out a small box of fireworks and gave him that mischievous Rogue smile, which always preceded trouble.

Unfortunately James could not for the life of him light the blasted thing. Albus kept telling him it was because they were old useless prototypes, but James would just shake his head and laugh at his silly little brother. Useless, what was Albus thinking, no fireworks were ever useless; that's like saying a lecture from Professor Binns was entertaining- it just wasn't true, and anyone who thought otherwise was a damn fool. James continued on mumbling spells hoping one was the correct one to light the fireworks. Why couldn't his uncles made a firework that lit by just fire; why did everything have to be so damn complicated.

The green trees swayed sleepily in the passive breeze. The sun was shining down, tanning some and burning others, but none of them particularly cared if they sunburned, this was summer after all. A few clouds would occasionally cross the angry sun's path and protect the group of children relaxing outside, but unable to cope with the anger of the sun itself, it soon shyed away, again exposing the children. The wide green expanse of the backyard, accented with quidditch hoops and a small lake, welcomed the children home each vacation. Albus was particularly fond of the backyard; he had always been a fan of nature since he was a child. Usually he found an isolated spot and sat and read, before James found him and forced him to play quidditch with him. Forced is an incorrect word since Albus, the seeker on the Gryffindor quidditch team was always willing and ready to play his older brother, the keeper of the same team.

Albus glanced up from the letter he was composing to watch Scorpius tell Rose to stop being obnoxious. The two of them had a weird relationship, Rose got her kicks off making him angry, but Scorpius got his kicks off making her laugh. They were either fighting or laughing, never in between. They were just as close as himself and Violet, he supposed, but they didn't get on quite as well as he and Violet did. They always were together nonetheless, that is if Scorpius wasn't with Violet and himself. Sometimes Albus thought Scorpius fancied Rose, but he also sometimes thought Scorpius fancied Violet and even Molly, so he never trusted that passing suspicion. Scorpius and Rose continued arguing as Albus watched, they sounded like Violet and James, but less spiteful and more teasing.

"What are you laughing at Potter?" Scorpius said mock-angry.

"You, you tosser," Albus laughed, his green eyes crinkling up in the corner from his wide smile.

"Oh yeah," Scorpius hopped up and pulled Albus in a headlock, messing up his already messy hair, "Who's laughing now huh? Who's the tosser now huh? Not me! Now do my homework you nerd!"

Scorpius had on a smile and his blue eyes were full of mirth. Albus laughed and pulled his friend down with him to the ground. The two wrestled, trying to gain the upper hand. Rose rolled her eyes at the two's antics and turned her attention back to Lysander to find he had gotten up to horse around with Fred and Lorcan. They were attempting to do a goofy looking jig, Lorcan kept jumping in and out of line with the two, or shoving one out of line. Fred was laughing as he shoved Lorcan to the ground. Lysander and Fred began doing some dance around him as he tried to trip them. Rose sighed; teenage boys had to be the weirdest things, fun but still weird. She got up wandered over to James.

"Having trouble James?"

A sweaty disgruntled James Potter looked up at Rose through his glasses, "What do you think? I've been messing with this thing for the past hour."

"You ever stop and think that it's probably not going to light?"

"Don't be ridiculous. They made it to light, of course it will light. I just haven't found the right spell," James said while staring at the box of the troublesome fireworks. He scratched his head and messed up his already unruly hair.

Rose sighed and sat down in front of him. She watched quietly as he continued to mutter spells at the box, and shake it this way and that. Every once in a while he would let out a small 'aha' as if to say he had figured the whole thing out, only for his little idea to have no affect whatsoever. James had a lot of tenacity you had to give him that. In fact, Rose didn't think she'd ever seen him give up on anything in the whole of her fifteen years. His eyebrows were scrunched together in frustration and he just seemed to become more and more aggravated as time went on.

"Hey James look over here!" Fred yelled. He had Lorcan and Lysander both in headlocks.

"Not now, I almost got it! I can feel it!"

"James knock it off with that thing. They don't work just accept it," Albus vociferated.

"Oh shut it Al, like you know anything about fireworks! Just read your blasted book," James rebutted.

"James look! Quick!" Fred held two struggling twins under his arms, "Seriously, it's worth it."

"James I don't know anything about fireworks and I can still tell you those ones are duds," Albus called to his older brother.

"Yeah, James, these definitely aren't going to work," Rose chimed in, leaning over and toying with the paper on the eccentric box.

"James, now- ahh" Lysander and Lorcan had gotten out of Fred's headlock and pulled him to the ground.

"James help! Please James I need you!" Fred joked, a bit overdramtically.

"Yeah James he's nothing with out you," Lorcan mocked.

"James just knock it off before you light something on fire," Albus commanded.

"Would you all just shut it!" James yelled extremely agitated with the commands he was receiving. A small spark blew out from his wand, red and burning. It slowly fluttered down and into the bow of fireworks, unbeknownst to James. The spark landed on the small white wick of the case of explosives. The spark grew to a flame that traveled up the wick and straight to the firework.

A deafening boom exploded behind James.

"What the hell?!" James turned around to see his coveted fireworks exploding with vigor. The colors were dazzling, a fierce, regal, golden lion jumping and dancing in the sky, its eyes a crimson red, along with its mane. The Lion began jumping and letting out roars; a snake had slithered out of the other firework. The snake was an envious green, striking at the lions glowing feet. The snake, a King Cobra, features had been extremely exaggerated, making look akin to a dragon. The lion let out a deafening roar and sparks of crimson flew from its mouth, attempting to resemble fire. The snake hissed hostile at the lion- a warning.

James was exhilarated. These were more amazing than he could have guessed. The vibrant colors lit up the whole skyline, and the ethereal creatures danced and lunged at each other, neither quite able to get a hold of their respective enemies. A war of the two rival mascots of the two rival houses at Hogwarts. James smile grew respectively with each boom in the sky.

"James!" Lily and Hugo bounded out of the house and towards, the figure standing directly below the warring creatures.

"Pretty cool right?" James beamed, still watching the show.

"No, not cool!" James turned to look at his little sister.

"You're starting to sound like Albus," James quipped.

"No James, Mum's going to be home soon. You need to put these out!" Lily pleaded.

"He can't Lils these are my Dad's fireworks, they put themselves out," Fred interrupted. James smiled at the Rogues who had just appeared behind him.

"These are amazing," Lorcan breathed, completely hypnotized by the dancing colors.

"Yeah, my dad and Uncle Fred always had a thing for narcotics," Fred boasted, sweltering with pride for his father and namesake.

"James!" Lily pleaded.

James sighed and looked at his little sister, big puppy brown eyes. Damn he hated when she pulled that, he could never say no.

"Aw beat it Lily, go play your weird little games with Hugo," Fred said.

"Fred knock it off. Fine I'll put them out. I just wanted to see if I could light them anyway," James sighed.

"How did you light them anyway James?" Lorcan asked.

"I have no idea actually," James shrugged and looked at the box the fireworks were coming from.

Ginny stepped in the front door to an empty house, and an exploding back yard. The color red filled up her face, and steam came out her ears. James.

Ginny slammed open the back door to see all of the kids at her house sitting in the backyard. James was standing arms crossed, back to her and Fred and Lysander were standing the same way, but with Lorcans arms drapped over both their shoulders, leaning on them. Lily was standing next to James her grabbing at his arm with Hugo a few feet back. Rose was sitting at James feet, and Scorpius was lounging at the patio. The nightmare going on went completely unnoticed by Albus who was just sitting, reading his book. All were oblivious to a furious Ginny stomping across the large expanse of the backyard.

"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER!"

The color from James face drained when he heard the only person he's scared from yell his name: his mother. He shot Fred a panicked look, who also looked just as panicked. James knew he was in for it now; maybe his mother would be merciful as this was only the first time he'd gotten in trouble since summer break started.

"In the house!"

"But Mum how do you even know-"

"Now!" Ginny said dangerously low trying to reign in her temper.

James ducked his head and walked into the house, he was in for it now. The other cousins sat still as a cat hoping that they wouldn't be noticed. Fred dared to move his eyes to watch James enter the back door of the Potter manor.

"Fred, Lorcan, Lysander!"

"Yes ma'm" they murmured and marched to the back door along with James. If one Rogue got in trouble they all did; their friendship was bittersweet at times. James was sitting on the couch head down, bracing himself for what was coming. Fred, Lorcan and Lysander sat down around him on the couch, their heads down too.

James smirked, "One for all."

"And all for one," the three rogues answered.

Ginny stomped in furiously her face a dark red and eyebrows knitted together in such anger that if she opened her mouth flames would come out. Ginny looked at each boy fuming. Each boy, in turn, avoided her eyes trying not to incite her rage upon them. Ginny was medusa and the first to look gets turned to stone, except in this case the first to look receives her temper.

"JAMES SIRIUS POTTER,"

Damn.

The five remaining children sat outside watching the smoldering, now black trees. They could hear Ginny's piercing shouts; even they were scared and they were innocent. James always managed to pull a stupid stunt like this at the beginning of the summer and get grounded for the remainder of summer. Unfortunately he would usually just end up sneaking out and, in turn, get in more trouble, but trouble was never enough to scare James into behaving- a blessing and a curse. Scorpius let out a low whistle and Albus caught his eye and shook his head in disbelief.

"Some beginning of the summer blow out huh Al,"

"Well, you know James, Scor 'go big or go home'," Albus said with false enthusiasm.

"Gotta admit, he really knows how to cause trouble," Scorpius stated.

"Yeah, James has always had talent when it came to causing trouble," Albus answered.

"Merlin! What an idiot!" Lily said to herself, "I mean I know his 'good idea/bad idea' compass doesn't exactly point due north, but fireworks? Really?"

"..."

"Hey," Rose said

"Huh?" Scorpius muttered absentmindedly, transfixed by the pattern of the table they were sitting around.

"At least we aren't James," Rose smile, her head resting on her palm.

"You're damn right, rosey-posey," Scorpius said full of enthusiasm. He gave her a loud high five and pulled Albus's book out from under his nose.

"Where'd you even get this thing? What happened to the letter you were writing Vi?" Scorpius said as he blocked Albus' attempts for his book.

"Now what?" Hugo asked, ignoring the two.

"Why don't we go to the festival in town," Rose said, pulling her long red hair out of her freckled face, "we should probably stay out of the house anyway,"

"I don't know I don't think Mum would be very happy with us just leaving," Lily said, unsure.

"Aw, come on Lils it'll be fun. We can eat muggle junk food and puke it up after we get off the rides! We'll leave Aunt Ginny a note so she doesn't worry, come on Lily pleeeassseee" Rose dragged out the last word, thinking it would convince Lily.

Lily sighed in agreement, and Rose jumped up with a yes.

* * *

**To be continued**

* * *

**A/N**

**I am so so so sorry this took so long to write, seriously I'm extremely sorry. If it makes you feel any better I felt extremely guilty whenever I thought how long it had been since I had posted. Ok I'm a very bad procrastinator and very bad at keeping waiting periods short. **

**I am dead tired right now, and I start school again tomorrow so I'm going to keep this some what short. Please review, subscribe, favorite or anything. Flamers welcomed just make it constructive please. Also this chapter originally had the three end parts to the ones written, but it would have been wayyyyyyy to long so I decided to cut it in half. Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon but no promises**

**goodness I'm terrible, anyway THANK YOU FOR READING!**

**Posies:)**


End file.
